


Stowaway

by HershelChocolate



Category: The Bifrost Incident - The Mechanisms (Album), The Mechanisms (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Other, The mechanisms terrorize lyf for ten chapters: the fic, but its the mechs so theyre fine dw, canon typical death, nastya is here because i say so, nonbinary Lyf, they picked her up on their way to get marius ivy and raph off of yggdrassil, violinspector happens eventually dw
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-08
Updated: 2020-11-09
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:54:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 31,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26356060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HershelChocolate/pseuds/HershelChocolate
Summary: Lyf lets the Black Box slip from their grasp. It clatters to the floor, with Lyf following soon after, sinking to their knees in despair.The Ratatosk Express, the prisoners, the Black Box, the Bifrost…All of it happened so fast and there wasn't a thing they could do to stop it.-----Or: Marius convinces the mechs to go back for Lyf. They all agree it's just until they can get the story of the Bifrost out of them, but when someone is stuck on a spaceship fleeing a rainbowy hell with you long enough. You start to get attatched.
Relationships: Lyfrassir Edda/Marius von Raum
Comments: 159
Kudos: 293





	1. An Introduction Is Required

_"If anyone hears this report in time, I suggest you do the same. Inspector Second Class Lyfrassir Edda...signing off. Good luck."_

Lyf lets the Black Box slip from their grasp. It clatters to the floor, with Lyf following soon after, sinking to their knees in despair.

The Ratatosk Express, the prisoners, the Black Box, the Bifrost…

All of it happened so fast and there wasn't a thing they could do to stop it. 

They really should be going. Grabbing that ship, leaving the planet. But something in them wouldn't let them move. They couldn't think straight. Lyf tried to gather the strength to stand, but just ended up more tired than they were before.

Maybe it would be better if they stayed on Yggdrassil with everyone they knew they couldn't save. 

A sudden noise got Lyf's attention- voices. Echoing down the hallway and towards the cell that used to hold three inexplicably strange prisoners. Lyf couldn't bear to make it all the way back to their office after the true contents of the Black Box were revealed to them. They could still hear that chant, echoing in their thoughts-

"Hey! I found them! I told you they'd be here! Hey, Lyf!"

Lyf snapped out of their daze and focused on the person kneeling in front of them, grinning from ear to ear. 

"Marius?"

"Better pack your stuff! We don't have a whole lotta time before all that rainbow stuff starts to catch up to us."

"Pack my…" Lyf's thoughts were still muddled with the new information from the Black Box. It took a second to process what he said, but when it finally clicked…

"You don't mean-"

Marius grabbed their arm and pulled them up from the floor, giving them a good-natured pat on the back that directed them towards where Raphaella and Ivy were standing.

"Yup! You're coming with us!"

Time was a difficult thing to process, even when you weren't overcome with the knowledge of how exactly your entire world would be torn apart. It only seemed like a few minutes had passed before Lyf found themself standing in the doorway of the Aurora with a small handful of personal belongings. The door shut behind them. 

Raphaella gave Lyf a gentle smile and a thumbs up before flying off to tell Brian to take off as soon as possible. Ivy took Lyf's things and headed off towards the spare room, leaving Marius alone with Lyf, still standing in a daze.

"You doin' okay? I can always give you a checkup if you-"

"How many of you are there?"

Marius blinked. "Come again?"

"You- the Mechanisms. I heard you sometimes, talking before you noticed I arrived. You're a band, correct? So...how many of you are there?"

Marius grinned and pulled Lyf into a side hug, dragging them with him as he began to walk towards the common room.

"Well, my friend, if you thought the three of us were a lot to handle then just let me have the honor of introducing you to the rest of our fine crew!"

Lyf was about to protest when a shot rang out, making them jump. The shot had hit the wall just inches from Marius' head but he didn't seem too worried about it. Lyf watched in mild horror as a man with lightning bolt cracks in his face ran up to them.

"Marius, you idiot! If we all get dragged into some sort of rainbow glittery hell I'm blaming you! We didn't have time for-"

It was only then he noticed Lyf, still trapped in Marius' grip. 

"This is who you went back for? Wait- is that the fucking cop that was in charge of you?"

"Come on Jonny, Brian's got it under control. And there's no harm in getting a first-hand witness to a new story."

It was then that the man, who's name was apparently Jonny, lit up. He grinned at Lyf, and reached forward to shake their hand.

"Well then, why didn't you say so! Jonny D'ville, your humble captain! Say, what genre of music do you think an eldritch train mystery would be?"

Lyf tried and failed a few times to come up with something to say when a voice from farther in the room piped up.

"Don't listen to him, he's just the first mate."

Jonny blindly fired and missed another shot, this time aimed at a couch farther in the common room. The person he shot at this time still didn't flinch, and Lyf was becoming increasingly worried that being shot at was a normal occurrence here. 

"I didn't ask for your input, Ashes!"

Ashes just shrugged. Lyf looked back and forth between the two of them. It took a minute to register that all of the hostility was more familial annoyance than actual threats. 

Jonny sighed and holstered his gun, turning once again to face Lyf. 

"Well, if you're gonna be our next story, I _guess_ I can put up with you long enough to get it out of you. You met the crew yet? You might be staying a while if what Raph was going on about is true."

As if on cue Raphaella approached, poking her head into the common room.

"You lot have _got_ to come see this."

Marius grinned and followed after her, with Lyf awkwardly trailing along behind him. Jonny stayed behind, choosing instead to rant to Ashes about "keeping their nose out of his conversations".

The small group emerged onto the bridge. There, a man made of metal and a woman with blue-tipped hair were staring at the readouts. Brian and Nastya, according to Marius. 

Nastya looked up as the three walked in, silently waving them over. She didn't acknowledge Lyf's presence, which just made them feel more out of place than before. They stepped back and let the others talk about whatever it is they were seeing.

It was such a sudden and drastic change, getting dragged onto the ship. They were still having trouble processing it. For some reason their thoughts were all fuzzy. Wait, no, their hearing was fuzzy too. It sounded kind of like static. Lyf wondered for a brief moment if there was something wrong with the console the others were leaning over when a sudden stab of pain through their skull almost made them double over.

Lyf's ears were ringing, and it took a second to piece together what had just happened. Marius was kneeling next to them, concern written all over his face as he tried to calm them down. The only words Lyf could focus on, however, were the ones now being broadcast from the console.

Panicked, screaming voices echoed through Lyf's mind as the distress calls played out. Lyf tried to cover their ears, block out the noise, but they could still hear every word as more and more people realized what was happening back on Yggdrassil. It felt like ages before they finally began to fade out. Either because they were out of range, or because wherever they were coming from could no longer send a signal, Lyf didn't care. 

Their senses started to come back to them. The first thing they noticed was Marius was holding them tight, trying to calm the shaking in their limbs. The second was that he was speaking to them, a constant stream of reassurances and apologies. The third was that everyone else in the room was staring at them. 

Lyf suddenly pushed Marius away, trying to stand but swaying too much to stay so. Marius quickly guided them to a seat, and told them to stay put. Doctor's orders.

Marius left the room in a rush, and somehow Lyf felt even more alone than they already were. Raph, Brian, and Nastya were all looking at them, their expressions a mix of curiosity and concern. Lyf could feel their face beginning to burn and quickly turned away. The one named Nastya approached.

"I take it you're Lyfrassir Edda, then? My apologies, if I had known that the sudden surge in transmissions was the reason they had stopped working, I would not have let Marius bring you along."

Lyf blinked up at her. She had her hands clasped behind her back, and seemed genuine enough. Compared to Jonny and Ashes, her calm demeanor was incredibly reassuring. 

"It- it's not a problem you...you couldn't have known. I'm not even entirely sure why it ended up...affecting me as much as it did."

Raphaella stepped forward, a gleam in her eyes that Lyf had never seen before back on Yggdrassil.

"If you want I could run some tests! See if I can figure out if the Bifrost somehow-"

Just the mention of the Bifrost was enough to make Lyf flinch. Luckily, Raphaella took the hint and backed off, just in time for Marius to get back. Her eyes still shone, and she gave Lyf a wink before she flew off. 

Marius quickly sat down next to Lyf and threw a blanket over their shoulders. They didn't have time to ask for clarification before Marius put a hand on their head, checking their temperature. Nastya tried to hide a smile, and Lyf began to blush again.

"Marius I. I really don't think this is necessary-"

"Hey! Who's the doctor here?"

"From what I gathered? Not you."

Nastya fully turned away at this, choosing instead to walk back over to Brian. The two began to talk, but Lyf could still see a small smile on her face. They almost started to smile back before Marius threw another blanket at them.

"Marius please, I'm fine-"

"You're shaking! And you feel cold! I have to make sure everyone on this ship is in tip top shape and that includes you now."

Shaking? Lyf hadn't noticed. But now that Marius mentioned it, they did feel a chill in the room. They absentmindedly pulled the blanket tighter around their shoulders, ignoring Marius' grin.

"If you're going to keep this up, can I at least ask you to answer my previous question."

Marius got a proper thermometer, trying to shove it in Lyf's mouth. They snatched it out of his hand, and reluctantly placed it there themselves. 

"Previous question?"

"From when I first arrived. How many other people are here?"

"Oh! Well you met Raph and Ivy already, Jonny and Ashes just a little bit ago, and that's Nastya and Brian, like I said earlier. Which just leaves the Toy Soldier and-"

A crash from just outside the room made everyone jump, as Gunpowder Tim burst in.

"Did you guys see everything get blown up outside?!"

Lyf sighed. It was going to be a long trip.

So much had changed in one day.

The time when they were Inspector Second Class Lyfrassir Edda was over. Now they were Lyfrassir Edda, Hostage Of The Mechanisms. Well, maybe hostage wasn't the right word. They did rescue them from becoming a squamous thing back on Yggdrassil. Now they were just extra weight. A stowaway.

Lyf lay awake on their new bed. The presence of the few personal items was comforting, but it wasn't everything. A framed photo. An old coat. A blanket. A book. A comb. It didn't exactly make a spare guest room feel like home sweet home.

Oh yeah. Because home sweet home no longer existed.

Lyf didn't think they'd be getting much sleep that night.

Still, there were worse things that could have happened. They never expected to see Marius, Raphaella, or Ivy ever again after they decided to leave. Sure it only took them an hour or two to get back, long enough for Lyf to watch and then record the rest of what was contained in the Black Box. But they had grown fond of them over the years. Sure they annoyed them to Hel and back, but it had become routine. 

Ivy didn't seem all that concerned. And Lyf still had a worrying suspicion that Raphaella was planning experiments to do on them right now. But it was Marius that confused them most of all.

He was always a nuisance back on Yggdrassil. Always pulling out a violin from somewhere and singing as loud as he could just because he knew it would drive Lyf mad. But even after the usual yelling, he always seemed genuinely delighted to see Lyf again. And they had to admit, they didn't mind his company either. Violins aside.

He may have acted the doctor earlier, but there was genuine concern on his face from the moment Lyf stepped on board.

He wanted to make sure Lyf was safe.

And they had to admit they didn't mind seeing him again.

Maybe staying with the Mechs for a while wouldn't be so bad.


	2. A Series Of Confusing Events

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lyf slowly gets more adjusted to the rest of the crew. Unfortunately they're all just as awful as they predicted.

Lyfrassir had only been aboard the Aurora for a few days now, and Marius was making sure to keep a very close eye on them.

He had grown fond of the inspector during their little arguments back at Yggdrassil. It was always fun to see just how far he could go with a joke. Tales To Be Told was a classic, of course, but eventually Marius had found his casual tormenting had turned into genuine interest in seeing them more often.

Of course, Marius knew he had to set that aside. Lyf was only mortal, and there was nothing he could do about that. But it just felt _wrong_ to leave them behind to be consumed by the Bifrost. And so Marius had managed to convince everyone who could stop him that the story would be worth it.

Yes, that was it. They were just a story. The Mechs would get it out of them, write the songs, and then drop them off on a habitable planet far from the Yggdrassil system. 

That was the plan. That was always the plan.

Then why was Marius only having second thoughts now?

If it was because of his feelings, well, there wasn't much he could do there. Lyf would either die soon or die later and that was that. But maybe in the meantime he could try to make their stay a bit more comfortable.

He had noticed they tended to keep quiet when around the others. It was an awkward balance, spending as much time away from any of the Mechs while also trying not to look like a shut-in. And Lyf didn't seem to be handling it well at all.

It took a fair amount of convincing, but Marius brought his concerns to the rest of the group. If they were going to get a story out of Lyf (and they all agreed that was the _only_ reason they were on board), then they'd have to be more comfortable telling it. 

And so one by one, some willingly, some by force, they all agreed to try to spend some time with their new roommate. 

It was the least Marius could do for them.

"I'm sorry, you want me to do _what?_ "

Lyf stared at the gun in their hand, its presence feeling entirely alien to them. Tim smiled, his own weapon in hand.

"I _said_ you gotta shoot the cans. Come on, it's a classic."

Lyf just blinked at him, eyes wide. Tim seemed to think this entire scenario was completely normal. Step one, drag the former inspector outside. Step two, give them a gun. Step three, make them shoot it. Perfectly natural.

The ship had only stopped on this planet for the day. Something about picking up supplies for an extra passenger. Lyf had begun to think that the Mechs never had anything on hand for themselves in the first place. But Tim had apparently thought that this was the perfect opportunity to try to teach Lyf how to shoot.

"I just don't see the point of it, is all." They tossed the gun back and forth between their hands, trying to find any way to hold it that felt a little more natural.

"Come on, you didn't have some fancy space inspector training that taught you how to shoot?"

"I was just supposed to do the investigations and that _typically_ did not involve weapons."

"Well then today's your lucky day!" Tim held up the gun he held for emphasis, a big grin on his face. "I'm the best master of arms this ship's got. And today I'm teaching you how to shoot stuff. Really, you should be honored."

The next half hour was just as chaotic as Lyf thought it would be when Tim first explained what he was doing. He tried to show them the proper way to hold the small gun, thinking maybe having official rules and stances would put the law-abiding inspector at ease. But no matter how many instructions he threw at them, not a single can had been shot off its stump.

"Alright. Change of plans. We're doing it the fun way now." Tim had a gleam in his eyes that made Lyf take a step back.

"The fun way?"

"My way." Tim turned and grabbed something from a pile nearby. He had said whatever was there might come in handy later, and it was only when he returned with the largest gun Lyf had ever seen did they understand what he meant.

"Can't miss all your shots if you're firin' a bunch of 'em!" And with that Tim made quick work of the cans, the sound of gunfire and laughter echoing through the clearing. Lyf had retreated quite a ways away, plugging their ears and watching in horror as Tim shot anything that came near him to pieces. Eventually his gun finally clicked dry, and he turned to Lyf, a wild grin on his face.

"Well? What do you say? Your turn?"

"I think I liked the other way better."

Lyf stared down at the game board in front of them. Ashes simply leaned back and waited, the hint of a smile on their lips as they watched Lyf study the board.

Ashes had won every game so far, and Lyf was determined not to let it happen again. They barely understood the rules, but that didn't stop them from feeling oddly competitive about it.

None of the other Mechs were around, and at first Lyf had felt apprehensive when Ashes approached. They didn't know them very well, but from what they'd heard, Ashes could be just as destructive as any of the rest of them. So when they simply proposed a game, Lyf couldn't find a reason to refuse. 

"Sure are takin' your time, mate."

Lyf looked up, and frowned at the slightly smug expression on their face.

"I'm just being cautious, is all."

"The game's not about planning. It's about luck." Ashes picked up their dice, rolling them around in their palm. "Nothing to it except winning."

"That's easy for you to say", Lyf retorted as they turned their eyes back to the board. They could feel Ashes staring at them, and it wasn't helping their concentration.

"Fine, just give me the dice."

Ashes grinned as they slid a pair of dice across the table. Lyf had never liked games based on luck. They always preferred games where it was your skill or strategy that got you a victory, not random chance. But they weren't going to back out now.

They muttered under their breath as they shook the dice, eventually letting them fly across the board. They came to a stop near Ashes' side of the table, and they glanced at the numbers. They smiled.

"Snake eyes. Such a shame."

Lyf was starting to think there was a reason Ashes only asked to play when the others were gone.

"One more round."

"Oh, not done losing yet, huh?"

Lyf held up a finger to stop them. "On one condition. We switch dice."

Ashes raised an eyebrow at this. And to Lyf's surprise, they actually did toss their own pair of dice to their side. They landed on double sixes.

"Alright then. If you say so."

The round that followed was the closest by far. But oddly enough even though Lyf's scores instantly got better, Ashes' never got any worse. When it came down to the final roll, it was only a difference of two that declared Ashes the winner yet again.

"Five in a row! What do you say to that, inspector?"

"I think you're cheating."

Lyf had never heard Ashes laugh before, but it made them feel a bit better after their losing streak.

"Are you sure I'm allowed down here?"

"You're not a prisoner, Lyfrassir."

"Still."

Lyf was sitting against a wall in engineering, simply watching Nastya as she worked. They were honestly impressed by how quickly and efficiently she improved things that didn't even look broken. General upkeep, she said. It made no difference to Lyf, they still didn't understand any of it.

For some reason Nastya had invited Lyf down to "hang out". Apparently that meant sitting in silence and watching her work. It was fascinating, but awkward at times. Lyf cleared their throat.

"Are you sure I'm not being a bother? I can always go and-"

"I'm sure."

_Maybe it's like cats,_ Lyf thought. 

Nastya stepped away from the section she was working on, wiping her hands on a black-stained rag she kept nearby. For the first time since Lyf arrived in the room, she turned to face them.

"While you're here, I would like to use the opportunity to officially introduce you to someone. Since it seems you'll be spending quite a bit of time here until Jonny gets that story out of you."

Lyf stood up, suddenly nervous. Should they try to make a good first impression? Were their braids a bit too messy? Maybe they should ask Nastya to wait until they put on something nicer.

Before they could spiral too much, Nastya gestured to the room around them.

"Lyfrassir Edda. I would like to introduce you to Aurora."

The room hummed with energy and noise, as Lyf looked around the room. Nastya faintly smiled.

"She says it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Oh! Aurora as in-"

"Our starship, yes. There's no need to look so awkward. Aurora is fully sentient. She is also my partner."

"O-oh! I see…" Lyf could feel their face beginning to burn. Was their anxiety that obvious? They looked up again, trying to hide any nervousness that would give them away.

"I'm sorry. It's a pleasure to officially meet you too, Aurora."

The room hummed once again, a series of noises that only Nastya seemed to understand. She nodded, agreeing to words Lyf couldn't hear.

"She hopes that you will have a relatively enjoyable time while you're on board, considering the circumstances."

Lyf let out a short disbelieving laugh. "Well, I'm not sure how well that will go. But I appreciate the thought."

The three spent quite a while chatting together, Nastya translating for Aurora. Lyf was never quite sure where to look when speaking to her, but Nastya assured them it wasn't an issue. During their chat, she even agreed to teach Lyf how to communicate with Aurora, if they were willing to learn. They enthusiastically agreed. Anything to make staying on board even slightly less nerve-wracking. 

During a slight lull in the conversation, something Nastya said earlier came to mind. Lyf nervously cleared their throat, and Nastya instantly looked up. Did they do that every time they weren't sure what to say? They hadn't realized it was that obvious. 

"Nastya?"

"Yes, Lyfrassir?"

"So...you said Aurora was your partner?"

"Yes, she is. We've been together for quite some time. Perhaps an understatement, considering your lifespan. But the reason you asked?"

Lyf began to fidget with the end of their shirt. Back on Yggdrassil they had a purple coat they wore almost constantly. They had regrettably been unable to grab it before coming onboard, but fiddling with the seams was a nervous tick that apparently stayed with them. They tried not to let it show. Every second that passed just made them regret starting this conversation even more.

"Well...when did you first know? That you...wanted to be her partner?"

Nastya stopped to consider the question, and for a brief moment Lyf was terrified they had asked something too personal. But she simply shrugged, dragging her finger gently across the side of a nearby console.

"...When I first met her, I suppose. She captured my attention from the moment I first laid eyes on her beauty." She looked up towards the complex machinery that filled the room, and Lyf found their gaze following hers.

She suddenly turned back to face them, her eyes narrowed. "Are you concerned about something, Lyfrassir?"

A thread on the seam of their shirt snapped. "Not exactly, I just…" They sighed, avoiding eye contact wherever possible. "I just don't have much experience with relationships. I'm not quite sure how to tell when I'd like one."

Nastya relaxed at this. "Emotions can be complex. Especially when you don't have all the time in the world to figure them out. I would not worry about it too much. You'll figure it out one way or the other eventually."

Lyf simply nodded and dropped the topic. She was right. They'd figure it out. 

Even if they were the only one who didn't have all the time in the world to do so.

After the events of their first day on board, it was only natural for Lyf to want to avoid the bridge. Marius being so concerned for their wellbeing was strangely comforting, even if they'd never admit it out loud. But it had taken hours before the transmissions stopped playing in their mind. The entire situation had shaken them enough to the point where they avoided the room altogether. Not that they really had any reason to go in.

Until today, when they heard a voice call to them from inside. Drumbot Brian. Lyf was having a hard time remembering everyone's names, but his at least was easy.

They didn't want to be rude. Sure, you could probably call what happened to them a kidnapping. But everyone on the Aurora had been strangely kind to them lately, even Aurora herself. It didn't seem they had any intention on harming Lyf.

And so they found themself sitting stiffly next to Brian, who was eagerly teaching Lyf how to read their star charts. Lyf had picked up on a few tips when working with the New Midgard Transport Police, but their job rarely required them to go far, let alone somewhere other than the Yggdrassil system.

"-and every sector has one star that's brighter than the others. It's like a compass, it's always pointing in one direction. So you use that one to direct you on where you'd like to go." Brian gestured at a chart he had opened, pointing at different things to help explain himself better.

He rarely stopped during his explanations but Lyf found the constant stream of information was helping them to relax. "Do you do all the piloting by yourself?"

"Oh, of course not. Aurora is quite adept at piloting herself. I simply assist from time to time. It helps to have one less thing to worry about. And I happen to know quite a bit about stars, considering...past experience."

Brian looked back at the star charts again, a distant look on his face. Lyf had just decided not to ask for more details when he turned to face them.

"I died in space. And then I got thrown into a sun. The others didn't pick me up for a century but that's alright because now I know a lot about stars. I wrote a song about it, too."

Lyf stared. They had absolutely no clue what to say in response to any of that.

"...I'm sure it's a lovely song."

"Oh it is! It goes something like this-" Brian reached behind the console they were seated at and pulled out a banjo. Lyf instinctively groaned. It was like being back on Yggdrassil all over again.

But as Brian played, they found themself enjoying the music more than being annoyed by it. It really was a lovely song.

Lyf was starting to get a bit suspicious when a member of the crew asked for their attention alone. Too many events like this had happened in the past few days for it to be a coincidence. But Ivy was someone that Lyf was more familiar with. She seemed a lot easier to handle than the others that joined her in that Midgardian prison. They just couldn't turn her down when she asked for their help organizing some books she had. 

They might have to learn to turn them down. If this streak continued, Lyf was terrified to see what Jonny would come up with. 

Organizing things didn't sound so bad though. That was something they were good at, at least. It came in handy when you were an inspector. 

They just weren't anticipating the sheer amount of books present. 

"It's practically a library in here," Lyf mumbled as they stepped over another stack. They had no idea how she had room for it all.

"Not legally. An official library would get public funding and books you wouldn't have to steal."

Lyf dropped the stack they were holding on the nearest table. "Oh. So. These are stolen."

"About 78% of them, yes." Ivy was flipping through a volume from the stack Lyf had just dropped. She let the pages fly, then snapped it shut and nodded, slotting it into another stack behind them. She turned to face them.

"How has your time on our ship been."

It didn't sound like a question. "Fine, I suppose. Aside from being asked 7 times a day to recount my life story. Considering the circumstances, I expected something to be lit on fire by now."

Ivy nodded and continued sorting. "Marius has been insuring that the normal levels of chaos are reduced while you are still getting adjusted."

Lyf turned away, hoping she didn't see their face. "That's nice."

"It is." She flipped through another book. "How do you feel about that."

Lyf paused. "Pardon?"

"How does knowing this information change your view on our resident 'doctor'."

Lyf was sure their burning face was obvious by now. "Why are you...asking? Shouldn't we be focusing on the books…?"

Ivy shrugged. "I was only trying to gather evidence for my current hypothesis."

Lyf had a feeling they didn't want to know what her "hypothesis" was. They absentmindedly started stacking books, not really paying attention to which ones.

"...Well, I suppose it changes nothing. He's still just as irritating as he was back on Yggdrassil, and he still notices the little things. He still causes problems, but he also still tries to make sure they don't get out of hand. He…"

They stopped. Ivy was staring at them. 

"...He's still just as insufferable to be around." They turned towards a different stack. "Just maybe less so now that I know the rest of you, by comparison."

Ivy nodded again. "98% certain, then."

Lyf said nothing.

"Remind me why I agreed to this?"

Lyf was standing in Raphaella's lab. She was standing on the opposite end of the room, and noticeably distant from a smirking Jonny. 

"For science, of course! Now, you were on Midgard for quite a few days after the train arrived-"

Lyf winced at the mention of the train. Jonny just rolled his eyes.

"-and you spent. A frankly unhealthy amount of time studying it. As did I, but I at least don't get sick after collapsing from exhaustion."

"That happened _once_." A single glance from Raphaella was enough to make Lyf swallow any defense they were trying to invent. 

"In any case, I'm simply trying something. It shouldn't harm you too bad, at least. I did take that into consideration."

"After Marius reminded you." Jonny frowned, almost like he wished that Marius hadn't. Lyf fidgeted nervously. 

"Yes, of course, after Marius so _kindly_ reminded me of your mortality. In any case-" she gestured at Jonny and took an extra step back, clipboard in hand. "You can begin."

It was only at that moment that Lyf realized they had never been told what the test actually entailed. They didn't have to wait long to find out, as Jonny pulled out a spoon from a nearby bag and threw it at their head. They ducked just in time to watch it hit the wall and clatter to the floor.

"What exactly is this trying to accomplish?!" Lyf shouted over the sound of various objects hitting various walls. They hadn't been hit yet, but Jonny looked determined to end that streak. 

He almost scared them more than some of the things they watched in the Black Box.

"Don't worry! It's just a test!" Raphaella was frantically jotting down notes, as Jonny threw a fastball dangerously close to Lyf's head.

A sudden lull in the chaos made Lyf nervously glance over at Jonny. He had a wicked grin on his face, and pulled out what looked like an old encyclopedia. With a sudden shout, he launched the book towards Lyf, much faster than they were expecting.

There was no way to duck in time. Lyf instinctively raised their arms to protect themselves.

A sudden burst of light, almost like a camera flash, blinded everyone in the room. They all froze, blinking the spots from their eyes as they tried to figure out what just happened. 

Raphaella grinned. "This is so much more exciting than what I was expecting! Thank you Jonny, you can go now."

Jonny grabbed what was left of the bag of objects and stomped out of the room, grumbling under his breath. Lyf caught the phrases "didn't even get to hit 'em" and "maybe the Toy Solider would be easier". 

Raph jumped up, her wings fluttering as she rushed over to a board of notes. She took the page she was writing on out of her clipboard and tacked it on. She whirled to face Lyf, her eyes shining with excitement.

"Do you even realize what you did?"

No, they didn't. They hadn't wanted to look at the book that was now several feet away on the floor. But when they did, their stomach dropped as they saw what Raphaella was talking about.

The surface of the book was shimmering, a constantly changing faint rainbow hue covering the entire object. Lyf took a step back, their hands shaking.

Raph rushed over to the book and picked it up, flipping through the pages. Her smile grew with every turn of the page until eventually, she turned the book to face Lyf.

Every page was coated with the same shifting colors. It was entirely illegible. 

"Fantastic work, Lyfrassir! That's all I need you for at the moment. Marius says I can't keep you here overnight." She pouted as she shut the book. "He's no fun."

Lyf was shaking slightly as they walked out of the room. They could hear Raphaella excitedly chatting to herself as the door shut behind them. 

Where was Marius when they actually needed him?

Lyf never got a formal introduction to the Toy Solider. It wasn't hard to figure out which of the crew it was, though. No matter how many times Jonny threatened to throw it out of the airlock, it just seemed happy to be there. Lyf almost wished they had the optimism it so often displayed.

Things had only gotten steadily worse for them. Headaches were frequent and painful, much more than they had been on Yggdrassil. They couldn't stop thinking of the events that took place in Raphaella's lab. They didn't want to talk about it, not even to Marius. Even though he, of course, immediately noticed something was wrong. It was getting hard to avoid him but Lyf just couldn't bring themself to speak to him. They didn't want him thinking they were some squamous thing. They didn't want any of the rest of the Mechs to find out either, but somehow their thoughts kept drifting to Marius. Perhaps it was because he was the one who would get in trouble if the Bifrost managed to seep into the ship.

Yes, that was a perfectly reasonable explanation. 

"You Seem Upset, Lyfrassir!"

Lyf jumped at the sudden voice. They hadn't noticed they were no longer alone. The common room was strangely empty at this time of...day? Night? It hardly mattered in space. But Lyf was thankful for the solitude that had apparently just been shattered.

Lyf didn't respond at first, but the Toy Solider just kept smiling at them. It was a bit nerve-wracking. 

"I'm fine, really. You shouldn't worry about me. I'm just here for a story, I guess."

The Toy Solider just continued to smile. "I'm Sure Your Story Will Be The Best Of The Bunch When You're Ready To Tell It, Lyfrassir!"

Yeah. When they were ready to tell it. Of course. 

Lyf laughed nervously, something about the Toy Solider's mannerisms were making them oddly uncomfortable. Especially since this was the first time the two had really spoken to each other.

"You don't have to call me Lyfrassir if you don't want to. Lyf was always easier."

The Toy Solider merely tilted its head in mild confusion, its smile never wavering. "Lyfrassir Is Your Name, Lyfrassir! Isn't That What I Should Call You?"

Lyf shrugged. "I suppose it doesn't really matter. I just don't want to be a nuisance."

"Everyone On Our Ship Is A Nuisance! That's What Jonny Calls Me Sometimes As Well! I'd Say You're Doing Spectacular, Old Chap!"

Lyf paused. Maybe it was right. They'd been so worried about taking up too much space that they'd almost forgotten who they were travelling with. It was a common habit to fall into. Sure as an inspector they were always making those snobby-sounding reports, but they just wanted to sound professional. They worked alone as often as they could under the false impression that it would mean they had less interruptions. The fact that three annoying prisoners were the closest thing to friends Lyf had was probably saying something, and Lyf wasn't sure they wanted to know what it was.

The Toy Solider said nothing as Lyf thought this through. Eventually they realized it was still standing there, and they awkwardly cleared their throat.

"You don't have to stick around, you know. I'm sure there are plenty of better people to talk to."

"But Marius Advised Us To Talk To You!"

"Oh. D...did he, now?"

"Affirmative! I Believe His Exact Words Were 'To Help Make Them Feel At Home'!"

Lyf turned away. "That's nice. But you did talk to me, and that was nice too. Thank you."

The Toy Solider saluted. "Jolly Good!" It promptly turned around and walked out without another word. Lyf watched the empty doorway for quite some time afterwards. They felt strangely lonely. 

Unlike the night before, the common room was regretfully not as empty today. Lyf was hoping they could go a day without a Mech trying to single them out for something they didn't sign up for and was simply trying to read. Instead they were staring blankly at the page with the constant droning of an old harmonica ruining the silence.

"Is that really necessary?"

Jonny didn't even look their way. "'Course it is. Gotta practice for our next gig. We're not gonna wait around forever for that tale you still owe us."

"I _meant_ is that necessary _right now._ "

He grinned. "Yup. You got a problem with that, _Inspector_?"

Lyf set down their book. "I do, actually. You could be doing that anywhere but here and I'm clearly doing my best to ignore you. Apparently it's not working."

"Oho! Stuck up old Inspector Lyf finally speaking their mind, huh? Well buddy, I'm the captain here so _I_ think I can play my harmonica wherever I damn well please"

"Oh that's funny. I recall Marius saying you were just the first mate."

Jonny frowned. "He also told you he was a doctor."

The two glared at each other for what felt like ages before Lyf eventually shrugged and opened their book back up. "Fair enough, I suppose."

Jonny stared at them for a while longer before grinning and returning to his harmonica. Unlike before, it actually sounded like he was playing it instead of just using it to make noise. 

Lyf didn't actually think he was half bad.

But there was no way they'd say that to his face.

Marius could tell Lyf was avoiding him. He guessed he had it coming, considering he kind of dragged them onto the ship with no warning. But they were doing so much better after they started to get to know everyone. Then there was the day Raphaella decided it was her turn, and now they seemed more reclusive than ever. Marius had tried to ask how they were doing, but they always shrugged it off. He didn't need to be able to psychoanalyze people to know that something was up.

He wasn't going to bug them about it, though. The others could probably get it out of them before he could. Either he'd hear it second-hand or Lyf could tell him themself. 

Apparently it was the latter.

The med bay was hardly ever used, but Marius couldn't pretend to be a doctor if he didn't make sure everything was organized and cleaned from time to time. He was in the middle of fluffing a pillow on one of the beds when Lyf burst into the room, making Marius jump.

"There's something wrong with me."

Marius blinked. "Huh?"

Lyf began to pace, alternating between fidgeting with their shirt sleeves and gesturing wildly as they began to ramble.

"I don't know how but Raphaella convinced me to help her with an experiment of hers and I ended up turning a book into a shifting rainbow mess and I tried to forget about it, I really did, but I was passing by the mirror in my room and I had to do a double take because...well…"

Lyf finally started to calm down. They finally turned to face Marius, and he knew exactly what was wrong.

Their eyes, which had been a lovely shade of blue before, were now faded. Lines of shimmering rainbow light reflected off of them. It would have been a beautiful sight if those eyes weren't wide with panic.

"I just- I don't know what to do. And you were the only person I could think of who might know how to fix it."

Marius just stared. He had noticed before how bright and vibrant Lyf's eyes were, but now it was almost like he couldn't look away. The rainbow reflected off the edges of their now almost silver eyes like a prism, every slight movement causing it to shift in color. It was beautiful. 

It was only when Marius became aware of Lyf staring back at him did both of them suddenly turn away. Marius hoped his face wasn't too red when he finally composed himself enough to speak.

"I can...give you a checkup? If you want? I'm not too experienced with the whole spending-seven-days-straight-reading-about-the-Bifrost thing like Raph or Ivy, but I can do my best."

Lyf silently nodded and walked over to the bed Marius had just made. He looked them over, doing all the normal doctor things that normal doctors did. Checking eyes, ears, reflexes, all the things doctors do. Or at least as many of them as Marius could remember. He'd never really had to do anything considering his crewmates odd relationship with mortality. 

Neither of them said a thing as Marius worked. It was awkward at first, but eventually Marius got lost in his own train of thought. 

He wondered if Lyf resented him for dragging them on board. He wondered if asking the others to spend time with them was a bad idea. He wondered if he had remembered to write down the result of his last totally real checkup test. He wondered if Lyf would ever want to tell their story. He wondered if he'd really be willing to let them go if they ever did.

Eventually Marius ran out of tests to do. Or at least ones that were low-effort enough that they could still qualify as just a general checkup. Lyf was the first to break the silence.

"Well?"

Marius looked up at them. "I'll be the first to say your eyes changing color is definitely not normal. But really, I can't find anything else that could be wrong. You seem totally fine."

Lyf looked disappointed. "Oh. Wonderful."

Marius raised an eyebrow. "That's not usually the reaction you're supposed to have when told you're perfectly healthy. I think."

"It's not that it's just…" Lyf gently shook their head, refusing to look him in the eye. "If there was something wrong with me I'd have something to blame. It wouldn't just be...me."

Marius wasn't quite sure what the right response to that was. He just moved closer, placing a hand on their shoulder. They didn't turn away. The two just stayed like that for a moment in silence. Marius couldn't stand to see them so down. He knew there were probably a million things going through their head right now. And then he got an idea.

They needed a distraction.

"You know…" Marius made a big show of thinking through things, a goofy smile stretched over his face. "I do know one thing that could stop you from feeling so downcast."

Lyf knew that expression. It was the same look in his eyes he always got whenever…

No.

He wouldn't dare.

Marius grinned even wider, and slowly pulled out a violin.

"Marius," the warning in their tone was blocked out by the opening notes to a very familiar song. Lyf groaned as loud as they could to block out the noise, but Marius looked so excited, and really, they had nowhere else to go.

So Lyf sat and listened. 

He wasn't half bad with a violin. His smile lit up the room and, without realizing, Lyf began to smile back.


	3. Support

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone is finally becoming adjusted, the Mechs perform some music, and Raphaella does her usual brand of science.

Three weeks. That was how long Lyf had been travelling with the Mechanisms. It wasn't as bad as they imagined. They were all finally used to each other, for the most part at least. 

Lyf found themself spending the most time with Nastya and Marius. After their introduction to Aurora, Lyf stuck around engineering quite frequently. They didn't say anything most of the time. Sitting in silence and watching Nastya work was a perfectly normal activity for the both of them. It helped Lyf when they needed to be somewhere quieter than around the other Mechs, and Nastya didn't mind the company. She had kept her promise to teach them how to communicate with Aurora, and sometimes these quiet hangout sessions would turn into brief lessons. Lyf wasn't entirely confident in their skills, but Nastya and Aurora appreciated their determination.

Marius, on the other hand, was just about everywhere. He always seemed to show up exactly where Lyf was headed, and the only time they brought it up, he had gone oddly quiet and mumbled something about coincidences. Lyf didn't really care, he was fun to be around. The others seemed a bit less chaotic when Marius was in the room with them, and Lyf was starting to think he had said something to them to get them to back off. 

It wasn't really necessary. Lyf had seen quite a lot of chaos since that day three weeks ago. The only time it didn't seem like the whole ship was screaming and the occasional gunfire, was when the Mechanisms practiced their stories. 

Lyf had first noticed about a week into their stay. Everything was strangely quiet except for the faint sound of music. They had followed it to a large room filled with equipment, where the entire crew was gathered. They all seemed incredibly focused, more than Lyf thought they were capable of. They could see the determination on their faces as they played, overlaid with the sound of Jonny ranting about a space station and a trio of gunslingers. 

It was fascinating to say the least. Lyf hovered in the shadow of the doorway, watching as they continued the performance, unaware of their new audience. Until Marius lowered his violin and looked up. 

Lyf didn't know if he saw them that night. But they did know that he saw them a few weeks later, the second time a practice had been scheduled. This time about a City and a quartet of criminals. Ashes was singing a rather upbeat song when Lyf tripped over something that slithered past them and fell into the room with a sudden crash.

The music stopped, each instrument fading as the person playing it looked down at Lyf, still sprawled on the floor. They didn't want to get up. That would mean having to see the look on Jonny's face. 

It was Brian who eventually walked over to them and knelt down. 

"Lyfrassir? Are you alright?"

"Yeah I'm ok." Lyf's voice was muffled due to the fact that they were still facedown on the ground. "I'm just going to stay here for a bit."

Brian just shrugged and went back to his spot on the makeshift stage they had constructed. Lyf could hear Jonny tapping his foot and figured it wouldn't do any good to wait. They slowly stood back up, not wanting to meet anyone's eyes but not wanting to stare at the floor either.

"Well. Care to explain, Inspector?" The disdain in Jonny's voice was clear. Lyf finally looked him in the eyes.

"First of all, I'm not an inspector anymore and you know this. Second, I heard the music and wanted to come see what kinds of songs you played. You are a band, after all. But I only heard about you second-hand on Midgard."

The two stared each other down until Jonny suddenly grinned. 

"Well then! Looks like we got ourselves an audience, fellas. Let's give them a good show."

Lyf didn't trust that smile. They eyed the stage warily as they found a spot a good ways away and sat down. They glanced over at Marius, who winked. That wasn't a good sign either.

Jonny counted them in, and the band erupted into music. Lyf's face fell. There could be no denying the melody that Marius was so enthusiastically adding on to.

"Like whiskey laced with gasoline, we're deadly when we're drunk! So shut your face and settle down, you sneering little punk!"

Jonny was putting his all into the lyrics as Lyf put their face in their hands and shook their head. They could still feel Marius grinning at them from the sidelines as they were once again forced to sit through the only song in the universe that managed to fill them with dread.

Once they got past Tales To Be Told, the performance was actually quite good. Lyf could tell that no matter how reckless the Mechs seemed, they really did care about giving a good show. They took particular interest in Marius' role, not for any reason other than the music, of course. He was playing someone by the name of Heracles, it sounded like. It was an entirely different side of him Lyf had never seen. But they couldn't say they weren't enjoying it. At the end of it all, the Mechs graciously bowed to Lyf's singular applause. They saw more of the crew smiling then than any other moment on the ship.

There were other moments where Lyf felt more and more like part of the crew. There was the time they were introduced to creatures they called Octokittens. Lyf recognized it as the thing that tripped them that day of the performance. Tim had managed to convince Lyf to help him feed them. They didn't think he'd ever be able to do so again.

There was the time Nastya and Marius cajoled them into helping them make breakfast. Lyf didn't feel like much help, but maybe all meal preparations ended with the cooks covered in flour. 

There was the time Ivy asked about the braids they always wore, and they ended up talking with her for hours about the history and culture of Yggdrassil. Not once did she ever look bored. Lyf found themself sleeping more soundly that night than any before. There was at least one other person who knew what Yggdrassil was like. And they highly doubted she would be keen to forget it.

But there were other moments too. Moments full of pain and static.

Raphaella had been _very_ enthusiastic about the results of her test. She hid herself in her lab for two full days before emerging and declaring she would like to run more tests on them. Lyf gave her a hard pass. 

They just wanted to forget about the Bifrost. The one thing that had taken everything they ever loved in one fell swoop. Midgard, their home, their family. Hel, the entire Yggdrassil system. Gone in an instant. Lyf had hoped that would be the end of it. It hurt, of course it did. But perhaps one day they would be able to move on. Live a normal life on some other planet when the Mechs decided they were done with them. 

But they couldn't even have that.

They've been seeing rainbows in their dreams. They wake up panicked and crying. When they try to remember what happened, the only thing that comes to mind is the sound of static and the faint lingering cry of dying transmissions.

So no. Lyf would not be doing any more tests.

The crew had quickly noticed their slight change in appearance. Nastya was the first to comment on it, casually mentioning that she had caught sight of their new eye color during one of their lessons with Aurora. Since then everyone seemed to be asking them about it.

Lyf was trying their best to hide it. They knew ignoring it wouldn't make it go away, but they couldn't imagine a worse place to be if the Bifrost finally decided to take the last piece of Yggdrassil. 

Occasionally they'd have to stop dead in a corridor. Several times they had dropped everything they were holding, kneeling in the middle of a hallway clutching their head in pain as a sudden wave of light and sound drove into their skull. Amazingly none of the mechs were ever around when it usually happened. Usually. 

Lyf was headed down to engineering. Every noise in the ship felt uncomfortably loud that day. Eventually they gave up and decided to see if Nastya was in. They were almost there when they ran into her in the corridor. 

"Oh! Nastya I was just coming to see you. I hope that's alright today?"

Nastya nodded and continued. The two walked in silence for a few moments until Nastya suddenly turned to face them.

"Are you doing alright, Lyfrassir?"

Lyf's steps faltered for just a moment. "Huh? Oh, no I'm ok Jonny was just playing his harmonica again and you know how he gets when someone tells him to stop and-"

"That's not what I meant." She slowed her pace, looking up at them with concern in her eyes. "You've been looking pale lately. You seem shaken when you come to engineering. Something is bothering you and I would like to know if you're okay."

Lyf blinked. "I...didn't think you'd notice."

She simply shrugged. "You weren't doing a very good job of hiding it. Does it have some relation to whatever caused your eyes to change color?"

"I…" Lyf absentmindedly put a hand to their face. They didn't know how to answer that. They didn't get the chance to.

A sudden stab of pain made them stop in their tracks, gripping the sides of their head. They slowly fell to their knees as it steadily worsened. The constant hum of static in their ears drowned out the noise of Nastya trying to ask them what was wrong. Everything was too bright, too loud, too painful and it took everything Lyf had not to scream.

They could feel hands grab their shoulders, the ice cold grip giving them something to latch on to. The pain began to fade, and Lyf's hands dropped from their head to the hands on their shoulders, holding them tight. Their eyes were screwed shut as all the noise and light finally began to fade until the only sound they could hear was the gentle hum of the ship.

They finally relaxed, letting out a sigh. They opened their eyes to find Nastya staring intently back.

"Lyfrassir? Are you alright to stand? I'd like to take you to the med bay. You look awful."

Lyf would have laughed if they had the energy to. Instead they just nodded, shakily standing up with Nastya's help. The two stumbled their way to the med bay, Nastya practically holding Lyf up as they struggled to stay upright. Surprisingly, Marius was already there. He looked bored, but that expression quickly gave way to one of concern when the two of them walked in, Lyf almost leaning on Nastya for complete support. 

"Lyf? Nastya? What happened?! Woah, hey, don't fall over now, come on…"

Marius helped Nastya lead them to a bed where they eagerly collapsed. Everything was so sore and they were so _tired…_

"Hey. Hey!" Marius snapped his fingers in front of their face. They shook their head, trying to clear their thoughts before the static came back. "Lyf, you have to tell me what happened I don't know what to do if you're just gonna show up all rainbowy and pass out on me!"

What did he say? It was hard to focus. Something about looking...Rainbowy? Marius started to help them sit up with the help of a few added pillows as Lyf looked at their hands, trying to see what he was talking about. They suddenly snapped to attention. 

It looked like their very veins were pulsing with rainbow light. It was faint, but constant and did nothing to calm Lyf's nerves. Their hands started to shake the longer they stared at them until another pair of hands grabbed theirs. Cold ones. They glanced up, almost shocked by Nastya. She glared at them, a stern expression on her face. But there was something comforting about the way she gripped their hands in her own. 

"Lyfrassir. You're going to be alright. Getting yourself worked up again would only make it worse. You need to calm down." 

Marius stepped forward, placing a hand on Lyf's shoulder as they once again closed their eyes.

"Hey. You'll be ok. It's already starting to go away. Lyf. Hey, Lyf."

Marius grabbed the sides of their face, waiting until they opened their eyes to look into his. 

"You'll be okay."

Lyf stared for just a moment before tears started to prick the corner of their eyes. They didn't know what to say. They didn't know if they had the energy to say it. 

Nastya glanced back and forth between the two as they stared at each other. She took a step back, hands slightly raised as she headed for the door.

"I trust you to take care of this, Marius. If you need anything you know where to find me."

Marius nodded and took a step back himself. His hands around Lyf's face dropped to grip their hands instead.

"Seriously, what happened? Is this a new thing? Is this cause of the eye thing? You gotta talk to me."

He looked so worried. He almost seemed desperate to understand, and Lyf found themself explaining everything to him. About their fears of the Bifrost, their new dreams, the occasional moments of pain like the one that brought them to the med bay. Marius listened intently, occasionally nodding but otherwise refusing to break his silence as they talked. When they finished, they finally let go of his hands, collapsing back into the pillows propping them up. 

"...Wow. Lyf I had no idea I… Look, I'm gonna be honest. I don't know what to do here. The most I can suggest is asking Raph or Ivy, at least they actually know about this stuff, but I know you wouldn't want to-"

"It's okay." Lyf's voice was barely above a whisper as they leaned back and closed their eyes. "It's okay. I don't want to make you worry. I'm sure Raphaella can figure something out. I don't care anymore."

Marius almost protested, but they looked exhausted. He nodded, and turned away. He walked to a supply closet on the other side of the room and grabbed an extra blanket. By the time he got back to Lyf, they had already fallen asleep. He smiled, gently placing the new blanket on top of them. 

He'd figure something out. He had to.

Marius at least had the courtesy to wait until the next morning to remind Lyf that they were planning on talking to Raphaella. They weren't too keen on the idea, even now, but Marius promised to come with them. If Lyf had learned one thing in their time here, it was that having Marius in the room when another Mech was planning on doing something dangerous was a good idea. 

When they finally got around to actually bringing this up to Raphaella, her eyes lit up with that familiar excitement.

"Oh of course! I've been wanting to do more tests on you for _ages_ do you know how many questions about the Bifrost are probably somewhere in your DNA? Before it was only a theory but now! I could actually get _evidence-_ "

Marius loudly cleared his throat, cutting off her rant before she could get carried away. "But, of course. You _won't_ be doing anything too _dangerous_ because _Lyf_ is still _mortal_."

Raph's wings drooped a bit as she continued to gather supplies in her lab. "Of course. I wouldn't even _dream_ of dissecting them. Who would?" 

Lyf saw her nervously set down a very sharp tool and instantly began to rethink their life choices. 

In the end all she really did was a blood draw and various medical-sounding examinations. With Marius overseeing, of course. The two of them sat in silence as she surveyed the results. Marius held out a hand. Lyf took it without thinking. Marius gave their hand a reassuring squeeze just as Raphaella announced she was finished.

"I didn't even _have_ to do tests on your blood! I mean, I did anyway why wouldn't I, but it's incredibly fascinating! People from Yggdrassil don't normally have silver blood do they? With flecks of gold?"

Lyf paled. They shook their head.

"I thought so!" Raph stepped over to her board of Bifrost notes and began rearranging pieces of information, occasionally gesturing at an indecipherable page of notes as she began to speak. 

"I wasn't sure at first but I think it's safe to say the Bifrost still managed to make its mark before you left Yggdrassil! It was taking a while for any signs to show, but this all but proves it! Your eyes, your blood, everything seems to have changed ever so slightly to the point where I'm not even sure we can call you mortal anymore! Isn't that just. So terribly exciting?! You're a biological marvel, Lyfrassir!"

Marius and Lyf just stared at her in silent shock. Her grin never wavered as she continued flipping through notebooks and charts.

"Of course I wouldn't go trying anything too reckless until we know for sure, but if you wouldn't mind doing it anyway I've got a few things I'd like to-"

"The _headaches,_ Raph." Marius cut her off. "We wanted to know how to prevent the headaches."

"Oh, that one's simple." She waved her hand, not even bothering to look up at them. "You told me how it usually goes. You walk past the same section of the ship every time it goes off, correct?"

Lyf had never really stopped to think about it before. "I guess you're right. It's always around the same corridor."

"Then there's something there that's causing a spike in the changes! With the amount of rearranging the Bifrost seems to be doing, it would make sense that accelerating that process in any manner would cause some discomfort."

Lyf didn't realize they were still holding Marius' hand until they realized how tightly they were gripping it. They let go, resorting to running a hand through their silver braids instead. 

"The Bifrost...it's not doing anything too...drastic. Is it?"

"If you're wondering if you'll turn into some sort of...I don't know...squamous creature from the spaces between realities? That sounds like something Jonny would say doesn't it? Anyway, I don't think that's the case here. It just makes you sparkly as far as I can tell. And turn books into rainbow but that's another matter altogether."

Lyf breathed a sigh of relief and leaned back against the wall. Their worst fears were out of the way, so now all that was left was to figure out what was causing the sudden flashes of pain. Raphaella waved excitedly as the two left her lab, cheerfully inviting them to "come back whenever!". Lyf didn't think they'd be taking her up on her offer. 

"Well. We heading to that corridor, then?"

"Huh?" Lyf stopped in their tracks. They weren't expecting Marius to stick around.

"I know that section of the ship, there's an old storage room no one goes in nearby. Maybe there's something in there we can find and then break! What do you say? You in?"

Marius grinned and nudged Lyf with his elbow until eventually they shoved his arm away. 

"Fine, fine. Let's go."

The storage room was dark and crowded as the two stepped over boxes in their search. It didn't feel right to Lyf to go rummaging around through other people's things, but Marius' reckless abandon in tossing things to the side that didn't seem useful helped their fears somewhat. Thankfully no sudden light or pain had interrupted their search, but Lyf couldn't shake the feeling that there was something there. 

"Aw, look at this! One of the first guns Jonny broke. Really brings back memories. Oh. And a box of harmonicas. That's fun. I guess this is just a bunch of Jonny's stuff." 

Marius picked up a small box and set it aside to try and get a closer look at the harmonicas. Lyf froze, staring at the old and peeling cardboard. They slowly approached, picking up the small box. Marius stopped rooting around in the crate full of harmonicas and looked up just as Lyf opened the lid. 

They dropped the box, a strained cry forcing it's way past their lips as they took a few quick steps back. 

There, sitting amongst broken weapons and discarded junk, was the Black Box. 

It glowed faintly as Lyf took a few cautious steps back in its direction. They could almost feel the images of the horrors they witnessed in it forcing themselves back into their mind the longer they looked at it. They kicked the box away in disgust, not wanting to look at it any more than they had to.

The box slid across the floor, and came to rest by a pair of boots standing by the doorway.

Jonny knelt down and picked up the Black Box. He turned it around in his hand a few times, absentmindedly tossing it back and forth. He seemed completely oblivious to the piercing glare Lyf was aiming in his direction. 

"Went snooping through my stuff, huh? What, you got a warrant for that, Inspector?"

Marius stood up, but Lyf was on Jonny in a second, grabbing the collar of his shirt and forcing him to look them in their rainbow-reflected eyes. 

"Where did you get this."

It wasn't a question.

Jonny shrugged. "Picked it up. You lot were taking forever grabbing your junk so I did a little sightseeing. Figured it might come in handy."

Lyf's thoughts were muddled, the static slowly filling their thoughts the longer they stood next to the Black Box. The only thing on their mind was how much they despised Jonny for dragging forward another part of their life they wanted to forget. Marius placed a hand on their shoulder. They hadn't heard him approach. 

"Put him down, Lyf. You can't kill him even if you wanted to."

Lyf turned to face Marius, their expression full of confused horror. "I-I didn't...I would never want to…"

Jonny just smirked. "I dunno, all the rainbows in your face kinda suggested otherwise. It's alright, I wouldn't mind. Do your worst. 'Sides, I already got the box. Wanna tell me about the train now, or should I just get your friend to do it for you?"

Marius moved between the two, silently trying to diffuse the argument. Lyf shot one more withering glare at Jonny before shoving past both of them without another word. 

Jonny and Marius watched them leave. Marius was about to go after them, when Jonny let out a long whistle. 

"Damn. Was it something I said?"

Jonny was lucky all the weapons in the room were broken. 


	4. In The Corner Of Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jonny is his usual brand of annoying, Tim tries and fails to sing his own song, and Lyf has several nighttime encounters

For the first time since they started travelling with the Mechs, Lyf is truly miserable. 

Jonny made no effort to hide that he listened to the contents of the Black Box. It took him a few days to figure out how it worked, and even then he still couldn't get any video playbacks. But audio was all he needed. Soon everyone in the ship was at least partially aware of what truly happened in the Bifrost, even Marius. A few of them, mostly Marius, Nastya, and Brian, tried to stay out of it. What happened to Lyf was their story to tell, whether Jonny had the Black Box or not. But as far as Lyf was concerned, there was nothing they could do to take back what Jonny heard. Any day now the crew would come across a habitable planet and throw them out into the dirt without so much as a look back while they practiced their new story. 

Except they didn't.

For whatever reason, even after passing several planets that had reasonably populated cities, no one made any effort to stop. Lyf didn't know whether to be relieved or concerned. Maybe they'd just toss them out of an airlock and forget about them, hoping the whole world would too. Maybe they'd keep them around just long enough to perform their new story in front of a new audience before getting rid of them. Maybe they'd just forgotten Lyf was here. They _had_ spent an unusual amount of time in their room lately. But they just couldn't bear to go out there and see the mix of concern and intrigue and confusion on everyone's faces. Not again.

And so Lyf sat and waited. Every passing day just made their anxieties grow, until their blood lighting up with that rainbow glow as a stress response was more frequent than being in any sort of neutral state. 

And with the stress came nightmares. 

Nightmares were never unusual for Lyf. Everyone got the occasional bad dream, and their usual coping mechanism was to get up and write about it. Describe what happened in such a logical way that it would seem silly looking back on it in the waking world. But the dreams that plagued their mind now were nothing they had any hope of describing. Swirls of undulating rainbow hues, scattered faces and phrases, the occasional scream or sight of blood. Sometimes they would wake frozen and terrified. Sometimes they would be crying. Sometimes they would swear the taste in their mouth was blood. 

The headaches were gone. Jonny took the Black Box to his own room trying to figure out how it worked, and the distance seemed to be enough for sudden spikes in activity to no longer be an issue. But Lyf couldn't shake the feeling it might be because whatever changes the Bifrost was making to them were no longer happening. They were already something else. 

This only seemed to be confirmed the night they awoke to find their whole room had taken on a shimmering rainbow glow. They had seen enough of those colors to last a lifetime, and they had no intention on staying any longer than it took to throw on their old coat and unlock the door. Lyf had been on the Aurora long enough to know roughly where everything was. And so they headed to the kitchen, intending to make some tea. Anything to get them out of that room.

They don't know how they failed to notice the lighted room or the voices that came from it until they had already been spotted. Drumbot Brian was sitting at a counter, no trouble there. But Tim was there with him, and that _was_ a problem. Several empty bottles of whiskey were strewn across the room, and by the way the two were acting it seemed like Tim had had all of them himself. Brian gave Lyf a small smile and wave, but Tim grinned when he saw Lyf standing in the doorway, dramatically waving them over. They hesitantly took a few steps forward.

"There they are! Look Brian, it's the guy I was just telling you about! Real bad news about that train, mate."

Lyf could not think of a single worse scenario to have ended up in. "Thank...you?"

Tim took a sip from another bottle he had grabbed. Brian snatched it away from him the second he set it down, but he didn't seem to notice.

"Yeah, well, join the club buddy. We've all had our fair share of star system destroying mishaps! Right, Brian?"

Brian and Lyf exchanged glances, neither one too keen on the way this conversation was headed. Tim was blissfully unaware, leaning dramatically on the counter and grinning at both of them. 

"Yeah, it was that space station wasn't it? What town were you in again...Camlon...Hamlet…"

"Camelot."

Tim stood up straighter, snapping his fingers. "That's the one!" He turned to Lyf, throwing an arm over their shoulder and leaning in like he was sharing a secret. "Our dear friend Drumbot Brian here got that whole space station thrown into the sun! With him in it! Isn't that just grand?"

Lyf looked over at Brian, who seemed incredibly uncomfortable with the entire conversation. He made no effort to move.

"I'm...sorry you had to go through that."

"It's quite alright." Brian tried to shrug it off, but he didn't look back at Tim. "I was only in that sun for a century. That's not too bad, is it?"

Lyf blinked, suddenly realizing that not only was a century nothing to these people, but that the pity and concern they hated seeing from everyone else was all over their own face. They gently shook their head, and took a step away from Tim.

"What about you, Tim? You said it was a club? Those need three members, you know."

Tim nodded sagely, like knowing the amount of people that make up a club was the most important thing anyone had ever told him. 

"That it is, my friend. Allow me to tell you a little story about war, loss, and the Moon. I call it 'Gunpowder Tim vs. The Moon Kaiser'. Spoiler alert, I won."

Tim reached behind the counter and pulled out a guitar. Lyf almost left then and there. Could all of them just materialize instruments when it benefited them?

Turns out it didn't even matter. Tim was in no state to hold a melody, even when Brian quietly grabbed a banjo and tried to play with him. In the end he just ended up passed out over a separate table, his guitar thrown across the room in frustration. Brain and Lyf spent a few moments enjoying the silence. 

"I really am sorry about Camelot. That couldn't have been easy to deal with."

Brian waved their concern away, busying himself with getting that tea Lyf had patiently waited through so much for. 

"It's alright. You can't save everyone, even when you tell them exactly how to save themselves. I've tried to make my peace with it, as has Tim. But his method is more repression than acceptance."

"Oh yeah. He never did tell that story did he." Lyf glanced over at Tim, still asleep face down on the wood. 

"Oh, it's not difficult to summarize. He was in a war against the Moon Kaiser sometime before he was mechanized and won by destroying the Moon with the Kaiser's own weapon. Quite a sight, I was told. Of course, there was the matter of everyone who was still on the Moon when it was destroyed, and his friend who was killed sometime before. But his song explains that better than I can, I'm afraid."

Brian poured two cups of tea and sat back down, passing one to Lyf. They just held it for a moment, letting the warmth seep into their palms. They've been feeling chilled ever since their eyes changed color. They wondered if Brian ever felt the same way.

"I'm...sorry to hear that. You've all been through a lot, haven't you?"

Brian took a sip, taking a moment to look around the room. 

"I suppose we have. But when you're immortal you tend to get caught up in these things. You've been through a lot yourself, Lyfrassir. And it has left its mark on you as well."

"Yeah...the Bifrost really knows how to mess with a person doesn't it."

Brian tilted his head, looking momentarily confused. "You know, that is one thing I've been wondering about, if you don't mind me asking."

"Oh?"

"Why you always refer to it as the Bifrost." Brian turned back to face Lyf. "You know very well the true nature of it. Why do you never refer to it by name?"

Lyf looked down at their tea, contemplating an answer. They didn't think they'd be able to give a very good one, but Brian had already shared his story. And Tim's. It only seemed fair that they open up as well, but the nightmare that dragged them here in the first place was still itching at the back of their mind. They found themself gripping their mug tighter.

"I just… I always felt like I had to distance myself from it. Even when doing research into the Bifrost Incident, I tried to keep a step away from that actual subject. I don't know if I was just trying to look professional or if I was just subconsciously defending myself or what. But after I found out about the true nature of it...about Yog-Sothoth…"

They felt a chill go up their spine as they recalled some of the events near the end of the recordings. The deaths of the passengers. What Odin had become. What Loki and Sigyn had to do to just buy the system one more lifetime…

"...I didn't want to remember it. I didn't want to give it the thought calling it by name requires. I'd rather use that thought towards those who did their best to keep it from being worse than it was."

Lyf held their breath, hoping they didn't just start rambling until he lost interest. Brian simply nodded and set down his own mug, now empty. 

"Thank you for sharing that insight, Lyfrassir. I really do appreciate it."

He walked over to where Tim was still slumped over the table, easily picking him up. He turned one last time towards Lyf.

"I hope you find the peace and rest you deserve."

And with that, Brian walked out, leaving Lyf alone with their thoughts and half a cup of tea from a friend.

Things were better for a few days after that. The novelty of knowing about the Bifrost Incident wore off after a few days, and Jonny finally stopped bugging Lyf about it. They stepped out of their room more often, and Brian was much more open than before. They were already on friendly terms, but when you have to sit through an impromptu five minute long drunken version of a story song, well...you tended to have a stronger bond by the end of it. 

The occasional chat did nothing to stop the nightmares, however, and Lyf soon found themself once again wandering the ship. They were more cautious when heading towards the kitchen this time, keeping an eye out for anyone who may also be awake. 

The light in the kitchen was on. Lyf sighed heavily, bracing themself for more drunken ramblings from Tim. They shoved the door open, already annoyed. 

Lyf stopped dead in their tracks. There was only one person in the kitchen this time. And he didn't seem to surprised to see them.

"Ah! Good evening, Inspector Lyf." Marius grinned, exhaustion in his eyes but joy in his smile as he gestured to the seat across from him. "Care to join me? I was just getting a drink if you want one too."

"Sure." Lyf slowly approached the counter and sat down, suspicion on their face as they watched Marius grab a pair of cups. "What are you doing up so late?"

Marius shrugged, pouring them both a mug of the same kind of tea Lyf grabbed last time. Their favorite.

"Eh, couldn't sleep. I'm assuming you know how it is considering you're here too. Something keeping you up?"

Marius walked back over, and Lyf gladly accepted the mug. Neither one of them actually started to drink it. 

"Just the usual. Nightmares about rainbows and trains. You know how it is." Lyf gave him a look, and Marius nodded. He knew what they were talking about now, whether he wanted to or not. 

The two sat in silence for a few minutes. There wasn't much to say, and neither felt the need to start a conversation. They both knew why the other was there. They didn't think they'd want to talk about it.

It wasn't until they had both finished their tea that Marius stood, leaning forward on the counter to draw Lyf's attention.

"Well! I've had enough of these chairs. Why don't we take a walk? Head to the common room? The couches there are _much_ more comfortable, much easier to mope on."

Lyf let out a soft chuckle. They slowly stood up, meeting Marius at the door. 

"Sure. Why not? It's not like I've got anywhere else to be."

Marius grinned. The two began to walk together, their pace slow and their conversation quiet. If anyone else was around at this time of night, they didn't want anyone deciding it was a good time to bother them. 

"So. Nightmares, huh?"

"Yeah." Lyf started fidgeting with the hem of their shirt as they spoke, anxiety creeping into their voice. "Usually I try to talk myself out of them, write them down, do something but…I think it takes an hour or two for the lights on my walls to fade when I'm not there."

"Oh. I'm...I'm sorry."

Lyf raised an eyebrow. "It's nothing you have to apologize for."

"Yeah I know I just.."

The two stopped at the entryway to the common room. They found a relatively secluded spot in the corner and sat, Marius in the corner and Lyf closer to the center of the plush couch.

"I can't help thinking sometimes that maybe if I got Raph or Ivy to talk to you sooner...mention something about the train...pretty much anything, really. Maybe we all could have left a little bit earlier. Maybe it wouldn't have had time to mess with you as much."

Marius sounded uncharacteristically miserable as the words spilled out. Lyf just stared, not sure what to say. 

"...Would you have taken me with you? If you left earlier, that is. Would you still have thought to come back to get me?"

Marius stared at the far wall, considering the question. 

"You know...I don't think we would have. It was hard enough convincing them as it was, what with the fact that the train had already been there a few days. I just couldn't bear the thought of leaving you behind. It sounds kinda funny but I really did enioy being able to see you. Sure I was in jail but that never really mattered."

"Oh." Lyf stared at their hands, thoughts swirling in their head. "I liked being able to see you too. Honestly...as much as you got on my nerves, you three were probably the closest thing I had to friends on Midgard."

"Wow, really? Three prisoners who bothered you so much you actively avoided us after a while were your closest friends? Why were we never invited to go with you to parties then?"

Lyf laughed, a real honest laugh that made Marius' heart soar as he stopped for a moment to appreciate it. It had been months since he'd been able to make them do that. He'd missed the sound. 

It was only after that that he noticed just how tired they looked. During their talk they had slowly moved closer together, so Marius leaned over the side of the couch to grab a nearby blanket. He tossed it haphazardly over the both of them, Lyf immediately bunching it up around themselves.

"Thank you. As… _difficult_ as these last few days have been...I really do have a lot to thank you for."

"Hey, don't mention it." Marius gave them a good natured punch on the shoulder. It was then he noticed how much closer they had gotten since they first sat down. 

There was nothing left to say. The blanket combined with Marius' presence made Lyf feel warm for the first time since the ever-present chill first began to worm its way through them. They slowly began to nod off to sleep, their exhaustion overtaking them as they inched closer to Marius one more time. Their last conscious thought was that even if the nightmares continued, they felt safe with him.

Marius himself was lost in thought, staring at the blank wall opposite them. He didn't notice Lyf slowly falling asleep until their head bumped his shoulder. He instantly froze, not wanting to wake them. After a few minutes to check if he had, he carefully maneuvered his own sitting position to grab at the blanket and pull it around the two of them. Lyf had looked so exhausted when they walked into the kitchen earlier. He didn't want to risk waking them up when they had finally gotten back to sleep. 

Marius had to deal with all the average teasing when the rest of the Mechs found the two still asleep on each other in the morning. But Lyf was finally smiling more, even cheerfully greeting him on occasion. So as far as Marius was concerned, it was definitely worth it.


	5. Who Could Ever Hurt You, Who Could Be So Cold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The crew stops by a town, Lyf Marius and Ivy do some shopping, and Lyf learns new things about themself.
> 
> Content warning for death (temporary)

Despite all the talk of them interfering with everyone's lives, Lyf was starting to notice that the Mechs never really stopped on a whole lot of planets. A few here and there to grab supplies, sure, but in the few months that Lyf had stayed with them not once had they ever stopped somewhere for fun. A little violence never hurt, so sometimes they'd stop somewhere just to see how much chaos they could cause before the suns rose. But they never stayed long.

So of course Lyf noticed when they stopped at a planet and were still there the next day. They tried to keep their nose out of the crews business, too much illegal activity there for their taste. Even if they were getting used to it. They didn't know why they had stopped and frankly they didn't care until Marius was practically dragging them out the door of the ship.

"Come on, don't you think it's time you had a little fun?" The gleam in Marius' eye made him look more lively than Lyf had seen him before. 

"I was having plenty of fun with the book Ivy lent me-"

"Oh good idea! We should take her with us! Everyone else is going in groups."

Marius had finally managed to drag Lyf out the door of the ship. They stared up in awe, allowing themselves to be dragged further towards the group as they took in the view. 

The ship was parked a little ways away from what looked like a small but populated town. The streets were lined with shops, and even this far away the sound of crowds chattering drifted on the breeze. A breeze that was ice cold as small flakes of snow melted on Lyf's cheeks. Tall intimidating mountains almost fully surrounded the town, the impressive peaks nearly cutting off any entry point that wasn't via spaceship.

Wading through the thick snow took effort, more than Lyf was used to. The other Mechs looked up as they approached with Marius. 

"Well, it's about time you showed up!" Lyf made no effort to hide the glare on their face as Jonny spoke. "We were beginning to think we'd have to leave you behind with Nastya."

The engineer of the Aurora had taken one look at the climate of this planet and had given it a hard pass. Lyf could understand why. It was no secret that her Mechanism, her blood itself, tended to make her run cold. But there was something else behind her eyes when she saw what the planet looked like. They didn't think they'd be asking her about it later. 

"Hey Ivy, are you going anywhere already? Lyf and I were wondering if you'd like to join us."

Ivy glanced up from a small book she was flipping through. She took a quick look around the area, taking note of the small groups that had already begun to make their way towards the town. She nodded.

"Might as well. I'm not too keen on joining Jonny and Tim somewhere together."

"Fantastic!" Marius threw his arms around both their shoulders, pulling Lyf and Ivy into a very awkward group hug. "Let's get going!"

The town may be small, but the people in it made it seem larger than any town Lyf had been to before. On every corner people were shouting, haggling, laughing, and arguing with each other. What seemed like endless rows of shops lined both sides of the winding city streets, and more than once Marius had to pull Lyf away from an erratic biker. 

Ivy kept her eyes locked on everything around them, drinking in every last detail. It was a little unsettling, but Lyf couldn't think about it for too long. Marius was dragging them into almost every shop, pointing out one thing or another and then very loudly discussing whether or not it'd be worth stealing. More than once they got kicked out of the shops, but Marius never lost his grin. It only took a few minutes before Lyf found themself smiling as well. 

The shops themselves had an endless variety of goods. There was a bakery on every corner, filling the air with the smell of fresh baked bread. There were toy shops with their windows full of little gadgets. Florist shops with a rainbow of flowers on display. Marius didn't seem to mind when Lyf tried to hurry them past that one in particular. 

It was while Marius was raiding the shelves of a candy shop that Lyf noticed something was off.

"Hey. Where's Ivy?"

"Huh?" Marius momentarily looked up, his pockets almost overflowing with various sweets. Lyf knew he had no intention on paying for any of it and at this point they could hardly bring themself to care. 

"Ivy. She's gone."

"Oh. Well she doesn't really like sweets anyway so I don't think-"

"Didn't we pass a bookshop on the way in?"

Marius grimaced. "Okay yeah. That might be a problem then. She won't leave until she's read everything there."

"Oh. Well that wouldn't be too bad. How long do you think that would take? She reads fast so maybe it won't be too long."

A few minutes later the duo stood in the entryway of quite possibly the largest bookstore either one had ever seen. Rows and rows of shelves stretched towards the ceiling. Lyf almost swore they were swaying in some nonexistent breeze.

"Yeah, I think it might take her a while."

Lyf gave Marius a good natured glare as they walked ahead, not caring to look back as Marius began to giggle. Together the two searched. Row after row of books, occasionally calling out Ivy's name. She didn't respond. Lyf didn't think she would have wanted to even if she did hear them. 

It was by a shelf labelled to be containing history books that Lyf stopped. They glanced down the rows of shelves at the dozens, possibly hundreds of volumes lining the shelves. 

"Lyf? You good? You look like you're zoning out a bit."

"Hm? Oh, I'm fine. Just…" They dragged a finger down the spine of a nearby book and sighed. "I'm just thinking of Midgard. Yggdrasil… I know there was nothing I could do to stop it but it just makes me feel so _empty._ All that history, the culture, the people… they're all gone."

"Hey." Marius took a gentle step forward, placing a hand on Lyf's shoulder. They didn't shake him off. "You're still here at least, right? And I'm glad you are."

Another sigh. "I am too. But you know as well as I do that I won't be here forever. Everything that Yggdrasil was will die with me. It won't have rows of books about how it used to be. It's just me. And even then…"

Marius moved his hand down to grab one of Lyf's. They looked up at him then, the same resignation on both of their faces.

"Can I help you two find anything?"

Marius and Lyf both jump at the noise, neither one noticing the shopkeeper approach. They separate a bit, Marius quick to raise his hands to wave them off.

"No, it's fine we're just um. Looking for a friend."

"Oh! Is it that person I saw pretty much making a fort of all the books she flipped through?"

Marius grinned. "That's her."

The shopkeeper gave the pair a weary smile. "Second floor, back left corner. Shouldn't be hard to miss. Do me a favor and make sure she puts at least a couple back, alright?"

Marius grabbed Lyf's hand again. They held on almost reflexively, following Marius as he began to walk towards the stairs.

"Thanks for your help!"

"Of course! Anything for such a cute couple."

The two instantly froze. Lyf turned to correct them, but the shopkeeper had already walked away. They stood there for a few moments before realizing Marius' hand was still in theirs. 

The two looked up at each other. Neither said a word as they continued walking, hands still clasped. 

Ivy was right where the shopkeeper had said she would be, flipping through books fast enough that Lyf had a hard time believing she was actually retaining the information. It was difficult to convince her to leave to say the least, but the group came to a compromise. A few minutes later Lyf and Marius were standing by the checkout counter, with Ivy nearby carrying a frankly dangerous amount of books.

The cashier smiled. "Did you find everything you needed?"

Marius glanced towards Lyf for just a second. "Yeah, I think so."

The shopkeeper agreed to let the group keep their books there to pick up later, except for a single volume Ivy already had her nose in. They waved the trio off with a big grin. Lyf hoped Marius didn't notice how much their face was beginning to burn. Even in the snow. 

They continued looking through shops throughout most of the day. Marius agreeing to actually purchase the books for Ivy seemed to be the only time he had any intention on obtaining anything that caught his eye through legal means. 

Lyf continuously refused to let Marius steal anything for them. The legal repercussions were something they were beginning to become numb to, a side effect of traveling with the Mechanisms for so long. But nothing really seemed to interest them for long. They had lost most of their belongings to the Bifrost, and even before then they didn't tend to keep around things they didn't need. 

But something did manage to catch Lyf's attention. A music shop. Marius didn't need any convincing to go inside. He instantly grabbed a violin and started playing. Luckily it was a song Lyf didn't recognize. Ivy grabbed a flute and began playing along, much to the despair of the only employee present. Lyf shook their head and turned into the next room.

A small display of various instruments was set up in the center. The walls were lined with various pieces and kits to go with each one, extra strings for a guitar or a cleaning kit for a flute. Lyf walked past it all, directly to one of the larger items they had on display. 

A cello. And a damn fine one at that. Lyf traced their finger over the edge, admiring the craftsmanship with quiet wonder. After a moment's hesitation, they plucked one of the strings.

"What'cha lookin' at there?"

Lyf jumped, almost knocking the cello over in the process. They hadn't heard Marius approach, but they could tell from the look on his face that he had been watching them. He no longer had a violin with him, but Lyf knew that wouldn't stop him if he decided to get revenge on the store clerk.

"Just. Admiring the wares."

"Aw, don't give me that. I saw you looking at it like you hadn't seen one in ages. You play?"

Lyf hesitated. "A bit."

Marius' eyes lit up. "Really! Our very own Lyfrassir Edda, a _musician!"_

"It's not like that-" Lyf took a professional step away from the cello, straightening their posture. "I used to have one as a child. I practiced almost every day, of course but. I dropped it when I became Inspector. To be frank I haven't played in years."

"It's never too late to start again!" Marius was already checking the walls for cameras, trying to figure out how to smuggle the thing outside without being seen. Lyf picked up on this and rushed forward, shoving him away from the cello. 

"No, no, you will _not_ be stealing that for me no thank you. I've already got enough to deal with after our little book fiasco-"

The store clerk cleared their throat and the two looked up in horror. Their arms were folded, and they tapped their foot in annoyance. 

"I think you three better leave before I call someone to kick you out. You most certainly will _not_ be stealing my instruments _today."_

Lyf continued to push Marius out the door, ignoring him muttering under his breath. They met Ivy just outside the entrance, who evidently had also been kicked out a few minutes prior.

"About time you two got here. I predicted a 98% chance you'd try to steal something, so I already have a plan in mind if you'd like to hear it."

"Yes!"

"What?! No!"

"Apologies Lyfrassir." Ivy gave Lyf a grin that did not convey any type of apologetic emotion. "But it seems you're outvoted."

Lyf just sighed.

Luckily for everyone, the music shop wasn't far from the edge of the town. Lyf stood by the side of the building, gazing out at the silhouette of the Aurora in the distance. 

Ivy and Marius figured out the details of how to smuggle something as big as a cello out of the shop undetected. Lyf's job was to make sure no one new walked in. They weren't entirely sure how they'd go about doing that without looking suspicious, but the weather had steadily gotten worse. What started as the gentle falling of snow was quickly turning into what could become a proper snowstorm. Most of the people walking the streets earlier had already taken shelter somewhere warmer. There was only one passerby still out, leaning against a nearby building in a similar fashion to Lyf, smoking something. The two had nodded as a greeting and then promptly ignored each other. As long as they weren't going into the music shop, Lyf didn't really care. Instead they just watched the snow steadily pile up against the buildings.

The quiet moment was instantly shattered as Marius ran out of the store, the cello wrapped haphazardly in a coat and held above his head. He began to run towards the Aurora, laughing loudly as alarms blared behind him. There was no sign of Ivy, but Lyf knew she had a dozen backup plans. They took one look behind them just to check she wasn't coming out the front door, and started to run after Marius.

The store clerk burst through the door a second later. They spotted the other stranger, and began to shout.

"Hey! Stop those two! They just stole one of my instruments!"

Lyf glanced back to see the stranger glare at them and then reach for something by their hip. Lyf ran faster.

Or at least they tried to. The snow was falling faster now, and the tracks Marius was leaving behind for them to follow were being quickly filled in. 

As Lyf struggled through the snow, Marius reached the Aurora and hurried inside. It took him a second to realize Lyf wasn't right behind him. He poked his head out of the door. Nastya appeared beside him, her curiosity piqued by the whole affair. 

Lyf struggled to get anywhere through the snow. It was coming up to their knees in some sections, and it was only becoming worse the longer they failed to reach the ship. This was evidently not as much of an issue for the stranger, who had almost caught up to them, now with something in their hand. Lyf felt a brief moment of relief when they paused in their chase, reaching out to Marius who was still a fair distance away.

A shot rang out through the clearing. Everything seemed to go silent as Marius watched Lyf collapse into the snow.

"No!"

Another shot, this time from behind him. The stranger fell, and Marius turned to see Nastya, her expression just as cold as the storm brewing around them.

He didn't wait another second. He was at Lyf's side in a moment, watching in horror as the white snow began to turn a dark gray. 

"Lyf? Lyfrassir? Come on, you'll be fine…" 

Marius turned them over and instantly knew it was bad. Even through several layers, their coat was increasingly becoming stained with gray blood, the flecks of gold doing nothing to distract from the severity of the wound. Lyf's face was paler than usual, and while their eyes were still half open they were confused. Disoriented. 

They focused on Marius for just a second before their eyes began to slip closed.

"Lyf! No, Lyf, you have to stay awake! I can help, I can fix you, I-"

Marius felt a hand on his shoulder. Nastya knelt by his side, and between the two of them they managed to carry Lyf, each taking one of their arms around their own shoulder. 

"You're gonna be okay. It's gonna be okay, Lyf. You'll be okay."

A constant stream of reassurances, some of which Marius addressed to himself. He knew there wasn't much he could do. He wasn't really a doctor, everyone knew that. But he'd be damned if he didn't try. 

Marius was only vaguely aware of Ivy, who apparently made her way back to the Aurora in the middle of the chaos. He ignored Nastya, trying her best to keep his spirits up. He even ignored the Octokittens on his way to the med bay. Tim could deal with them later. All he could focus on was Lyf. 

He was at a bed the second the door to the medbay opened. He laid Lyf down as gently as he could and immediately started trying to undo the buttons on their coat. His hands were shaking and numb from the cold. He cursed every time a button slipped from his fingers until eventually Nastya put a hand on his to stop him. He watched as she undid the buttons herself. She didn't say a word, but her expression held the same concern and fear as his own. 

He glanced at Lyf's face, trying to find any hint that they were ok. Their eyes were still shut, and they didn't seem to be reacting to anything around them. They could almost be sleeping. It wasn't until Nastya finally finished her work with the buttons that Marius realized they were no longer breathing.

Nastya noticed it too. She looked up at Marius, who stared back at her in disbelief. 

They were too late.

Lyfrassir Edda was dead.

He should have done something, _anything_ more than just stand there and watch them get shot. Stealing the cello was his idea. This was all his fault. There wasn't even a point to it now. They were gone. Lyf was gone.

The conversation they had in the bookstore came to mind, and Marius didn't even try to hide the tears that came. They were already heartbroken over the thought of eventually losing everything of where they came from. Neither of them thought it would be this soon.

Ivy watched from the doorway as both Nastya and Marius stood silently over Lyf's still body. She too had to fight back a few tears, even if logically she knew there was a 76% chance that…

The blood that had stained Lyf's shirt began to sparkle. The gold flecks shined with a sudden light, and Marius watched in disbelief as the bloodstains slowly began to fade. Beneath it, what once was a fatal wound slowly began to fade as well.

Everyone held their breath.

Lyf's eyes flew open, and they quickly took a breath of their own. Marius didn't give them time to react before he threw his arms around them, crying in joy and confusion as he hugged them tight. Lyf took a few more deep breaths, and slowly hugged him back. The sound of their heartbeat was music to Marius' ears.

"M-Marius? Nastya, I… what… what happened?"

Marius pulled back from the hug, holding Lyf's shoulders at arms length, his grin wide and bright.

"You're immortal!"

Lyf blinked. "I'm _what?"_

Nastya took a step forward. "You, Lyfrassir Edda, have just died."

Lyf looked back and forth between the two of them, shock and horror preventing them from fully processing their words.

"I. I _died?"_

"But you're fine now!" Marius pulled them close again, shaking from adrenaline and his continued half-sobs. "Don't ever fucking do that again. I really thought…"

Marius was just crying into Lyf at this point. They hugged him back, their eyes wide as they tried to remember what just happened.

"Hey, what's everyone doing in here? Tim and I just ditched the Toy Soldier we gotta go before it-" Jonny froze in the doorway as four pairs of teary eyes stared back at him. "Why do you all look like someone just died."

Ivy rolled her eyes. "Because they _did."_

"Wait." Jonny looked back at Lyf, who doesn't notice the slight glow coming from their still-healing wound.

"You're telling me Edda here died, _apparently for the first time,_ and I MISSED IT?"

Lyf didn't even have the energy to be mad.


	6. Rainbow Colored Glasses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lyf and Marius practice their instruments, talk about some things, and connect.

Marius knocked on the practice room door, patiently waiting for a "come in" before pushing it open. Lyf was sitting a ways away, cello propped up next to them. It had taken a few days for them to agree to actually use it. They _had_ quite literally died for it after all. But it was precisely that that made them a bit nervous to do much of anything these days. 

Marius sat next to them as they finished getting themself set up. The two had agreed to practice together, Lyf coming up with some excuse about needing someone else so they didn't feel awkward making noise. Marius didn't even hesitate to agree.

"So, have you been doing much with it yet?" Marius smiles at Lyf as he began tuning a violin. Lyf didn't see him pick it up on the way in. They just sighed.

"Some. I tried playing something earlier but...it's been a while. I'm still a little bit rusty."

"Hey that's not a problem! You don't mind if I teach you some of our songs for practice do you?"

Lyf gave him a weak smile. "Why not?"

The first song Marius attempted to teach Lyf was a rather upbeat one that he tried and failed to sing along to while simultaneously providing musical accompaniment. Lyf recognized it from their performance of Ulysses Dies At Dawn. It felt like a lifetime had passed since then. 

Marius continued with the short lessons, with Lyf continuing to notice a trend in the songs he picked.

"Are you doing this on purpose?"

Marius lowered his violin, a nervous looking grin on his face. "What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean. You're only picking songs from one story. Don't you know any others?"

"Oh, well I just wanted to see if it would work is all. If you wanted to join us at a gig sometime-"

"Wait. Wait, you're not saying-"

Marius grinned. "You could be one of the Mechs! You've got the talent! We just need to teach you the stories!"

"Hm." Lyf glanced down, fidgeting with the edge of their cello. "Is that all?"

Marius blinked. "What?"

"The stories. That's the only reason I'm here. And now I'm assuming it's the only reason I've been allowed to stay."

"Hey." Lyf felt a hand on their own. They looked back at Marius, who was staring in their eyes with uncharacteristic seriousness. 

"I did _not_ put in all that effort to get you off that rock just so you could tell me a story I already sort of knew. That may have been the lie I told Jonny, that may have even been the lie I told myself but…"

Marius suddenly paused, pulling his hand back and turning away. But he had Lyf's full interest now. 

"...Is that why you didn't just throw me out of an airlock when Jonny figured out how the Black Box worked?"

Marius let out a short laugh. "Oh please. He still doesn't want to do anything with that until he can get a video playback. 'Makes for a more authentic experience' and all that. And also I may have uh. Told him I wouldn't perform in it if he didn't get your permission first."

"Oh." Lyf had to stop to consider that. They had assumed everyone already had a performance written up and were just trying to avoid telling them. "Thank you for that I suppose. But haven't you all been writing songs for it anyway?"

"Yeah about that…" Marius rubbed his neck, a guilty smile slowly spreading. "I told everyone not to but...I may have started composing something for it. I can show you! If that's alright I- well I don't want to intrude if you don't want me to but I caught a piece of the recording and-"

Lyf held a hand up to stop him. "It's alright I don't mind. Honestly I'm rather curious which part you picked."

Marius gave them a wide grin before clearing his throat and holding up his violin. He hesitated for just a moment. And then he began to play.

It was a beautiful melody, soft and bittersweet. There were no lyrics, but Lyf felt almost overwhelmed with emotion, the pure energy in the notes flooding the room. They sat and listened intently until the notes began to fade.

Marius held the last note for a while, his eyes closed. When he opened them, he looked up to see Lyf staring back, tears in their eyes.

Marius immediately felt bad. Maybe this was all just a bad idea, it was just reminding them what they went through and that was the last thing he wanted to do but then he went and he had to ask and now here they are crying and it's all his fault and-

"That was beautiful."

They spoke in a hushed whisper, as if they were scared to break the silence that extended after Marius had stopped playing. He blinked at them, gently setting his violin on the floor for just a moment.

"You really think so?"

"It was...Marius, I've never heard you play something like that before. Which part of the recording did you watch?"

"Well, I ran into Jonny while he was listening to the end of it. I think their names were Loki? And Sigyn? I caught a bit of what they went through and what they did for the train and I…"

Marius suddenly paused, his face turning red. He refused to look Lyf in the eye as he quickly mumbled out the next words. 

"I was reminded of you."

Lyf's eyes went wide. "Me?"

"Okay I know how weird it sounds but yeah. It made me think about how you always came to stop by, even when you didn't have a case you had to ask us about." Marius smiles to himself as he recalls the memories. "You acted annoyed and that was usually my fault but you always made sure we were doing good. And then you left for a lot longer than you usually would and I started to get worried and then you came back and it just…"

Marius took a breath. "It looked like you hadn't slept. You had the Black Box with you and you just seemed so _shaken…_ you were like an entirely different person. And I knew that was where we would have to leave you behind but I just _couldn't._ I don't know why but I… the thought of leaving you there to _die…"_

Marius looked up at Lyf. He hoped they didn't notice how much his hands were shaking.

"I couldn't do it. I couldn't leave you there alone."

Lyf said nothing. They didn't think there was anything they could really say to that. The two stared at each other, all thoughts of music forgotten. It felt like hours before Lyf finally spoke. 

"You...you came back for me. I didn't think you would. You left me behind in that cell and I thought I'd never see you again but...you came back."

Marius laughed, a nervous reaction more than a response. "Yeah. I did."

Lyf started to fidget with the end of their shirt, reluctant to look anywhere but the floor.

"...Before you did, I honestly didn't plan on leaving. I knew the train had been there too long, I knew I was too caught up in what happened for it not to have already left its mark. I guess I was more correct than I realized. But at that point I had no intention on leaving Yggdrasil. I didn't have a reason to."

Lyf glanced up to see Marius watching them intently. They swallowed nervously, and continued.

"But you _came back._ And you wanted me around. You went out of your way to make me feel welcome and maybe it's not the same but. I've found myself starting to think of this place as home. And maybe that's only because you made it so."

Marius smiled then. A real genuine smile filled with so much joy that it made Lyf smile too. 

"Wow. Y'know I gotta be honest. That's a little sappy."

Lyf laughed, only making Marius' smile grow. He watched them, every little movement they made until eventually they caught him staring. But this time he didn't look away.

"You're cute when you do that."

Lyf blushed, gasping like they'd been insulted. "I'm not _cute."_

"I dunno." Marius leaned forward, grinning. "You kinda are."

Lyf copied his movements, their face red. "I cannot believe you would even suggest that I, Lyfrassir Edda, ex-Inspector, could ever be _cute."_

Marius tilted his head. "Mm. Nope. Sorry Inspector I have all the evidence I need right here."

Lyf glared at Marius, the two locked in a staring contest waiting for the other to back down. It was Marius who glanced away first, but Lyf got his attention back the second they leaned farther forward and kissed him.

Somehow Marius was caught completely by surprise, waiting a moment or two before pulling them closer and kissing them back. He'd been wanting to do this for a while and it was every bit as perfect as he thought it would be. 

They separated, staring each other in the eyes. Neither spoke at first as they processed what just happened.

"Huh. Always thought I'd be the one to do that first."

"Wh- _you-"_ Lyf gave Marius a good-natured smack on the arm, to which he laughed and just pulled them in for another kiss. 

If anything it was even better the second time.

As Lyf eventually pulled back, they paused. It took Marius a few seconds of grinning like an idiot to realize something was up.

"Hey, are you ok? Fuck I should have asked first-"

"Did you hear something?"

Marius stopped. Aside from the general hum of the ship, nothing seemed too out of place.

"Must be an octokitten."

"Yeah, maybe…"

"Hey come on!" Marius placed a hand on their cheek, pulling their gaze away from the rest of the room. "Whatever it is you don't have to worry about it."

Lyf placed their hand on top of the one on their cheek and closed their eyes. "I suppose…"

They stayed like that for quite some time, taking in the silence of the moment, their chairs pressed together to allow them to be close to one another. Lyf hadn't felt this relaxed in ages, and they were going to enjoy it. After a few minutes passed, they looked up.

"Okay, you can do it."

Marius just stared at them in confusion. "I can do what now?"

"The story. About me. I'll let you make it. I don't know how I feel about exposing more people to the contents of the video feed but...I can tell you myself. I trust you. You can make my story."

Marius smiled, tears in his eyes, before a sudden crash from the other side of the room made them both jump.

"YES! FINALLY!"

Marius stood up. "Jonny?!"

Jonny grinned up at Marius, giving him a small wave from a pile of fallen instruments. "Wonderful day to write a story don't you think?"

Marius just stared at him in dawning horror. "How long have you been there."

"Oh come on Marius." He stood up and began to brush nonexistent dust off his clothes. "Like I care what you do in your free time."

"Then why were you hiding in here?" Lyf spoke up from behind them, staying put on their chair.

Jonny stretched, completely oblivious to the glares he was receiving. "Eh. Think I got shot. Might have just passed out. Can't remember either way." He stepped out of a fallen drum set, making his way to the door. "Doesn't matter, I've got a crew that needs to get to work!"

Marius sighed. "Alright, alright, just. Give us some time, okay?"

"Oh don't worry." Jonny looked back, a frightening smile on his face. "I _definitely_ won't tell everyone about all the kissing."

He left the room with a cackle. Lyf just sighed. The quiet was nice while it lasted.


	7. The Beach Episode (Minus The Beach)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lyf and Marius go out, clothes are bought, and fears are shared

The second Marius and Lyf walked into the common room together, they knew the word was out. Everyone was gathered together, turning to stare at them when they walked in. Jonny was sitting in the back, a wide grin on his face.

"Oh! It's True Then! I Must Say, I'm Very Happy For You!" The Toy Soldier began to clap, its constant smile seeming a bit more genuine as Marius and Lyf found a spot and sat down together.

Lyf rubbed the back of their neck nervously, hoping their face wasn't too red. "What did you hear?"

"Enough." Nastya looked up from a book she was reading, giving the two a soft smile. "To be quite honest I suspected for a while. I also suspected it would be Jonny who would tell everyone."

"Oh, shut up." Jonny just waved her comment away, completely oblivious to any lines he overstepped. "You lot would have heard about it anyway. These two are terrible at hiding it."

"Well I think it's cute!" Raphaella spoke up from her spot next to Marius, draped over the back of the couch. "I mean look at them! They're holding hands and everything. It's adorable."

Tim made a dismissive noise. Raphaella stuck her tongue out at him. Marius cleared his throat. 

"Well as great as hearing everyone's opinions has been...I was wondering if we were stopping anywhere soon?"

"Oh!" Brian looked up from the corner he was sitting by, his interest clearly piqued. "There was a fairly populated planet coming up soon, I was hoping we would have a chance to stop for a day. Should I set a course?"

Marius smiled. "That would be great."

"Ooh!" Lyf was the first to glare at Jonny, who had stood up from his seat and was slowly making his way to where Marius and Lyf were sitting. "Our new lovebirds aren't planning a _date_ are they? What, are you gonna go out and-"

Jonny never got a chance to finish his sentence as a shot rang out through the room. Lyf didn't even flinch as Jonny collapsed. They looked in the direction of the noise and found Ashes casually putting away their gun.

"Thanks, Ashes."

"Don't mention it. He's gonna be pissed when he gets up though. You owe me one."

Lyf didn't want to think about what that meant. Instead they just inched closer to Marius, who tightened his grip on their hand.

Raphaella pulled herself up from the back of the couch and quietly made her way over to where Ivy was sat, her nose in a book like usual. She pulled her aside, a glint in her eye. 

"So. You know how they're going on a date?"

"Yes I was aware of the conversation, Raphaella."

"Well…" Raphaella began twirling a strand of hair around her finger. "What's the chance that _Lyf_ kisses _Marius_ first."

"Judging by their behavior? I'd actually put either side of the situation at a 50/50 split. They're both apprehensive but desperate for attention in their own ways. It's just a matter of circumstance."

Raphaella grinned. "Perfect. Want to make it a bet? Loser has to feed the Octokittens with Tim."

Ivy smiled. "Alright then. But we'll have to be there to see who wins."

Raphaella waved that concern away. "Oh don't worry about it. I've got it covered."

A few days later, the crew of the Aurora stepped out into a busy city, buildings reaching into the sky as crowds of people travelled to and from them. Most of the Mechs scattered instantly, planning their own brand of chaos. Lyf watched them all go, and then turned to Marius.

"So. This was your idea. Do you have anywhere you want to go?"

Marius just shrugged. "I don't really care. Ice cream?"

They smile. "Sounds good."

The two wander the streets hand in hand until they find a small ice cream shop by the edge of a river. Lyf didn't think they had the right currency for this planet, but apparently Marius did. Either that or he pickpocketed someone on the way in. It didn't really matter, the ice cream was obtained and the two set out to find a nice spot in the outside seating arrangements. 

They sat in silence for a while, staring out into the river as passersby talked and biked and ran. The city they had stopped in was constantly filled with the noise that usually accompanied a populated planet, but by the water it was much calmer. 

"I never really thought this was how things would go when we first met."

"Oh?" Marius grinned in Lyf's direction, an eyebrow raised. "And how _did_ you think it would go?"

"I'm not sure." Lyf takes another bite of their ice cream while they ponder the question. "You, Raphaella and Ivy had been in prison long before I started working there. I guess I assumed you'd still be there when I left."

"Well, we didn't think _you'd_ still be here when _we_ left but I guess these things have a funny way of working out."

Lyf hummed in response and the two once again grew quiet. It was while Lyf was watching one pedestrian in particular that something they heard before came to mind.

"Hey Marius?"

"Yeah?"

"You know how in that story you've been teaching me there was a point where you said you were psychoanalyzing the people in charge?"

Marius smiled. "Of course I remember that. Dionysus was a hell of a guy."

"Right, well, that's kind of what I was getting at." Lyf looked over, a mixture of curiosity and doubt etched into their face. "You're not saying you can do that like you say you're a doctor right? Is that something you've actually learned how to do?"

"Ooh! Do you want me to try it out? There's plenty of people here! Let's see…"

Marius began scanning the small groups of people gathered around the riverside intently, his eyes shining. Lyf watched him, amused. 

"Oh, okay look! You see those two over there?"

Lyf glanced at where he was pointing. "The ones sitting next to the bikes?"

"Yeah! The one with the hat keeps doing classic nervous ticks, they're clearly anxious, but the one with the ponytail is almost completely unaware. Hat person is clearly madly in love with ponytail person, and has chosen a scenic bike ride to confess. But ponytail person is completely unaware of any of the usual romantic implications of the very obvious scenario they're in, so either ponytail doesn't do romance or they've never grown up in a home that's known love."

Lyf lets out a sharp laugh. "Really? That's the best you can come up with?"

"You don't believe me?" Marius pretends to look shocked and continues scanning the area. Eventually he gestures towards someone sitting at another table, their gaze focused on a laptop in front of them, their ice cream long forgotten in its cup.

"See the person with the laptop? They're clearly working on something business related. They're dressed to go to work and the time on this planet matches up with a usual lunch break. But they've decided to use this time to work instead of take care of themself. But even though they're skipping meals, they still want the appearance of eating so they bought something anyway. The fact that they picked an ice cream place implies a desire to return to childhood when they wouldn't have to worry about work as often, but the focus they're putting into their work also implies that they think if they don't work hard enough they'll have failed someone. Probably an important authority figure in their past that didn't have faith in their ability to succeed."

Lyf just stared at him. Marius leaned back in his chair, proud of himself.

"What's that look for? You really thought I couldn't do it?"

"Don't look so smug, I still think you made all of that up. What about me, huh? Go ahead and reveal my oh-so mysterious deep dark fears if you're so good at it then."

Marius glanced over at Lyf, almost overacting his inspection until eventually they began to feel nervous. They subconsciously grabbed the hem of their shirt, and Marius is reminded of the thick gold trim that went around the edge of the New Midgard Transport Police uniforms. It must be a new habit, they haven't had the chance to learn it and hide it like their others. They're gripping their hands closed tightly, and Marius finds himself thinking of that day in Raphaella's lab when they turned a book rainbow. They clearly haven't forgotten about it either. They don't want it to happen again. They're scared of themself. 

"My professional diagnosis? Cute."

"You-!" Lyf put their hand to their cheek. They could feel it burning. "I knew you were making it up."

"Alright, if that's what you want to believe I won't stop you." Marius held up his hands in a placating gesture. "But you can't deny the facts."

Lyf laughed then, and after just a moment's hesitation, Marius joined them.

Across the street, Ivy and Raphaella watched from behind a large bush. Raphaella wore a comically fake mustache, while Ivy wore a large fedora.

"Was this really the best plan you could come up with?"

"Oh hush, Ivy. You're just jealous you got to pick second."

Ivy shook her head and turned her attention back to the pair across the street.

"Anything yet?"

"Not yet." Ivy responds, trying to catch anything of what they're saying. "Looks like it's going well enough. There's a 96% chance they're both too self-conscious to display any kind of affection in public yet, especially since this is a rather busy spot."

Raphaella frowns. "We'll just have to keep watching then."

"Don't you find this just a tad bit creepy?"

Raphaella turns to stare at Ivy, incredulous.

"Of course not! This is for science, after all! Don't you want to prove your hypothesis right too?"

Ivy stares back at her for a moment and then shrugs. "Fair enough, I suppose." And the two continue to watch.

"What do you think?"

Lyf studies the new outfit Marius has thrown together, tapping their finger to their chin in a display of fake consideration. 

"I liked the rainbow top hat better. It went well with the space shorts."

"Right." Marius grinned at his reflection, occasionally striking a pose. "Should've known going for the feathered fedora was a bad call."

"I think there's more than one 'bad call' here but sure let's start with that." 

Lyf sits back down to wait as Marius gets changed into some other equally hideous combination of clothes. They didn't have the slightest clue how he managed to find only the most outlandish items on display but it was worse and worse every time he stepped out.

Their gaze drifted around the store, eyeing the various clothes racks lining the floors. Marius was speaking to them from inside his changing room, asking for their opinion on a piece to wear. They weren't listening.

Lyf's attention was caught by a coat sleeve poking out from a ring of hangers. They got up and approached, gently taking the coat and holding it up to examine.

It was a dark royal purple, with a golden trim lining the zipper and the sleeves. The collar was high, almost like a turtleneck, and a faint shimmer covered the golden edges.

It was just like the one they had back at Yggdrasil.

"Hey, Lyf! I figured out the worst one yet just wait until you see-"

Marius, in his normal clothes, stopped talking the second he saw their expression. They didn't even register his approach, their eyes fixed on the coat. They swallowed, trying not to let themself get choked up. 

Marius placed a hand on their shoulder, and they finally looked up. He noticed it too. 

"You know what? Forget the tie-dye crop tops. I think I figured out what we're leaving here with."

Lyf tried to protest but Marius just took the coat from their hands and walked towards the register. They weren't used to people doing things for them. It was nice.

"Would you like a bag?"

"No thanks." Lyf approached the register behind Marius, reaching out for the coat. "I think I'll wear it out."

The sun was beginning to set as the pair exited the shopping district. Marius had noticed an almost immediate change in Lyf after putting on their new coat. They were more relaxed, cheerful, even joining in on a few jokes. It was nice, seeing them like this. 

Marius knew leaving Yggdrasil was difficult, and he always felt guilty making that choice for Lyf. But seeing them now, smiling at the sunset before them, he knew he made the right call. 

As it got later in the day, less and less people were out wandering the streets. Lyf and Marius ended up wandering back towards the river, walking hand in hand as they admired the view. They stopped on a wide bridge, taking in the sights.

"Today was nice." Lyf smiled as they gazed out over the water, their expression completely relaxed as they leaned closer to Marius. "I would've thought Jonny or Tim would've done something to ruin it by now."

"Aw c'mon, it's a big city. It's not like they're going to spend their only day here watching us."

"Hm. I suppose not."

A moment's silence passed between the two. A breeze blew over the water, and Lyf took another step closer to Marius.

"Hey, Marius?"

"Yeah?"

"You don't think I'm… different. Do you?"

Marius looked at them, but Lyf kept staring out at the water. "What do you mean? Different how?"

"I don't know…" They sighed, letting their head rest on Marius' shoulder. "Just different. Less me."

"Well," Marius turned his gaze back towards the water. "You're happier now. I'd never seen you smile much. And y'know, the whole rainbowy eye thing. But other than that no, not really. Why? What's up?"

Lyf paused. They tightened their grip on the railing of the bridge. 

"I've just been thinking lately. About myself. About Yggdrasil. About… well, about the Bifrost, really. I know I'm not the same as I was when you first met me. I don't know the extent of what the Bifrost has done to me. I know we're all very grateful it seems to have regenerative abilities but that's just it. I have _abilities_ now, and I'm not sure if…"

They stopped. Marius glanced down at them until they took a deep breath and continued. 

"I'm not sure if I'm safe to be around."

Marius blinked at them and then let out a sharp laugh. Lyf pulled away, staring at him in confusion as he eventually stopped laughing enough to speak. 

"Sorry, sorry, I know this is really serious but. You really think you're the most dangerous person on the Aurora? Lyf, every single one of us has probably committed more crimes than your little police station could ever hope to record. And even if you are capable of being dangerous, well…"

Marius stepped forward, placing a hand on Lyf's cheek. They stared each other in the eyes, Marius smiling softly.

"Well I think I'm willing to risk being hurt."

Lyf stared at Marius until their face broke into a smile. It was Lyf who finally leaned in, the two sharing a kiss as the last rays of sunlight disappeared over the horizon. 

In the distance, Ivy groaned in frustration.

"Hah! I knew it was going to be Lyf! Guess you'll be on Octokitten duty this week, Ivy!"

"I spent the entire day playing stakeout with you and _this_ is the result? Hardly a productive use of my time."

"Oh please, you would've thought it was just fine if Marius went first."

"Hey." The girls looked up from behind their tree to see Marius and Lyf staring back. Marius was glaring at them. "You two _do_ know we can hear you. Right?"

The four stared between each other for just a second before Raphaella and Ivy broke off into a sprint in the opposite direction. Lyf let out a sigh that turned into a laugh as they wrapped their arms around Marius. He hugged them back with no hesitation.

"Looks like you were wrong before."

Marius shrugged. "It happens to the best of us."

"How long do you think they were watching?"

"Knowing them? Since we left the ship, probably."

Lyf groaned into Marius' chest. They couldn't find it in themself to be surprised. 

"Aw c'mon Lyf! It was worth it though, right?"

Lyf looked back up, at the goofy lopsided grin plastered on Marius' face. They smiled back.

"Yeah. I guess it was."

Marius was the one who leaned in for the kiss that time.


	8. First Time For Everything

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Mechs perform a show, Lyf stays behind, and a fight breaks out
> 
> Content Warning for: death (temporary and not), and knives

Lyf had never seen the Mechs work so hard so fast. Within just a few short weeks, they found themself the sole audience of a test run of their newest story. The Bifrost Incident. The event that had been the reason Lyf was with the Mechs in the first place. 

They genuinely tried to give helpful feedback, but it was tough to listen to. They laughed to themself a bit as Raphaella, Marius, and Ivy recounted their time in prison together. But as soon as that ended, Lyf knew what came next. They couldn't hear it, couldn't relive that part of the story again. So they just got up and walked out.

Not one to stop a show, Jonny simply continued his narration. Lyf could hear him begin to shout behind closed doors. They quickened their pace. 

Marius made sure to check up on them, of course. He had been excited at the idea of Lyf's story debut being their debut as a member of the band as well, but they refused. Marius didn't push it. He'd seen their face when they left practice. He wasn't going to make them sit through that again.

And so the day came for the Mechs to leave for their performance, and Lyf was left alone. Not completely alone, though. 

When Lyf found themself a bit isolated from the rest of the Mechs, they often wandered into engineering. Nastya and Aurora had been quite patient with them over the months they'd been aboard. The three had developed a close friendship, which was useful when Lyf felt lonely and needed someone to talk to. Technically they could speak to Aurora anywhere, but given it's where most of their practiced conversations took place, Lyf preferred to stay in engineering. 

"How long do the shows usually take?"

_"The average performance is 4.37 hours with a 1.7 hour margin of error for general antics and disruptions."_

"So they'll be out for a while then, huh."

_"Are you unsatisfied with your decision to remain aboard?"_

Lyf tapped their fingers on the cold floor they sat on. "Not really. Talking with you is better than having to relive my recent trauma."

Aurora hummed. _"Recommended treatment for trauma includes regular and sufficient rest during nighttime. Have you been receiving enough sleep, Lyfrassir?"_

"I…" Lyf stopped to think for a moment. "Well, no. Not particularly. But it's alright you don't have to worry about me dying from it or anything."

They hugged their legs just a bit closer as they spoke, and to their surprise several consoles nearby lit up at the movement.

_"Your body language indicates that you are not comfortable. If this is because of your rest, I must suggest you return to your room."_

Lyf was about to try reasoning with Aurora, but she continued.

_"If it is about your recent discovery of your own immortality I must suggest you speak with Nastya on the subject. She is very wise, she would no doubt be able to guide you through these new experiences."_

Lyf stopped to consider. They'd been keeping their fears bottled up, afraid that if the others caught on to any sort of weakness they'd change their mind about letting them stay. But Aurora was right. They weren't comfortable at all with what they were going through. For some reason it had almost completely slipped their mind that every single one of the Mechs has had to deal with sudden immortality before. If anyone could give them advice about it, it would be them.

"Alright. I'll give it a try. Thanks, Aurora."

A nearby console lit up. _"My responsibility to this crew is to insure you have a safe journey to your next destination. On occasion, the danger to the crew is the crew itself. You must remember to take care of yourself, Lyfrassir."_

Lyf grinned. They made a mental note to talk to Nastya next time they were in engineering together. 

The night dragged on, Lyf and Aurora talking about whatever their conversation drifted to. Lyf spoke about Yggdrasil, about their time with Marius, and their friendship with Nastya. Aurora spoke about the status of her various systems, the care Nastya puts into their upkeep, and about the times Jonny has been killed for putting any of those systems at risk.

It's in the middle of one of these straight-to-the-point stories that Aurora stops. Lyf listens intently to the faint sounds of the ship until once again, the walls hum with noise.

_"Lyfrassir Edda. I must report an ongoing attempted entry into maintenance hatch B. Unauthorized access is forbidden, and due to the time of night is indicative of an unknown being of this planet attempting to do harm. I must request that you investigate immediately."_

Lyf just stared at the walls around them, stunned. They weren't much help in these kinds of situations, but if Aurora thought it would be a danger, the least they could do was see what was happening. 

They stood up. "Of course. I don't know how long it will take, but thank you for speaking with me."

_"I am available for conversation at any time, Lyfrassir. It was an enjoyable experience to speak with you as well."_

Lyf slowly worked their way to the front of the ship. They paused with their hand over the controls and, after a deep breath, opened the door.

Poking their head out of the doorway, Lyf found nothing out of the ordinary. The sound of metal scraping on metal caught their attention, and they fully stepped out into the night air, the door closing behind them.

Brian had wanted to park the ship closer to the venue they were performing at, but Jonny had insisted on stopping several blocks away, a decent walk from any nearby buildings. He claimed it was because they couldn't have fans following them back, but Lyf suspected they weren't getting the full story. In any case, they weren't going to get help if they got too nervous to act.

Lyf was quite relieved, then, when they found the source of the noise to be a thin man hunched over a section of plating on the side of the ship. As Lyf approached, he looked up at them and stumbled, obviously drunk, though how much so Lyf couldn't tell. The two stared at each other for a few seconds until Lyf cleared their throat in an effort to break the silence.

"If you're the one trying to steal parts from our ship I have to ask that you kindly drop everything and leave as soon as possible. You definitely do _not_ want the people aboard to be upset with you. It will almost definitely result in your death."

The man's eyes widened for a moment, but then his face settled into a sneer. Swaying slightly, he struggled to stand, keeping an arm on the side of the Aurora for support.

"Oh I know what this is." His speech was slurred, and Lyf found themself having a hard time processing what he was saying. "You're trying to freak me out. Well guess what pal, it ain't gonna work."

Lyf shuffled a bit, their discomfort growing with every second. "I'm really not lying. You have to leave."

The man grinned and reached towards his hip. Even before they could process the movement, Lyf was scrambling backwards, trying to think of where they could hide for cover. They were relieved when the man pulled out not a gun, but a knife. That breath caught in their throat when they caught sight of its razor sharp serrated edge, the light bouncing off the side at just an angle to make it look extremely dangerous. 

"I know your types." The man stepped forward as he spoke, with Lyf continuing to step back. "You try to act all tough but nooo you're just weak. A coward. So you're gonna let me take my parts and you're not gonna say anything about it, got it?"

Lyf suddenly froze. Instead of feeling afraid, they found themself becoming frustrated. Their hands were shaking, and they held them tightly to their chest, hoping the man wouldn't notice. 

He just grinned. Something in his expression made Lyf feel worse, until they felt something inside them snap.

Their silver eyes began to glow as they released their grip on their hands. Almost on instinct, they raised one, carefully aiming a shot of light towards the stranger.

He ducked just in time to avoid the streak of shifting rainbow light. He looked towards where the beam went and then back at Lyf, his expression furious. 

"Oh? You think you can do some freaky rainbow magic and scare me off huh?"

"Leave."

Lyf didn't remember deciding to speak, but their statement still stood. The man finally got the hint and began to slink away. Lyf watched him start to leave, finally relaxing for the first time since they stepped out.

The stranger suddenly turned, and in one swift motion, launched his knife into the air.

Lyf registered the pain immediately, stumbling back into the side of the Aurora. Their fingers drifted towards the handle of the blade, now lodged in their chest. 

Their last thought before their vision goes white is that they're really glad they decided not to wear their new coat tonight.

The man watches as Lyf stares at their wound. But his triumphant grin slowly fades as they push themselves away from the wall and begin to approach.

Their steps are slow and sure. The hair tie holding back their braid breaks with a sudden snap, leaving their hair free to float around their face with a menacing energy. 

Their eyes are an empty rainbow hue as they grab the man by the throat and lift him off the ground.

He kicks at them, struggling for air as the rainbow lines in their hand burn his skin. He tries to cry out, but their grip is tight and unwavering. Their expression, frozen in shock and horror just seconds before, is now set in neutral determination. The stranger is already beginning to slow, but that isn't enough for Them.

The glow that pulsed through their veins grows in intensity as They begin to focus Their energy towards this man. He has long since stopped struggling, growing limp in Their grasp, but They don't care. He called Them weak. Called Them a coward. They were going to show him just how wrong he was.

When the stranger's form began to shift under their grasp, Lyf suddenly realized what it was they were doing. They grabbed at the hand they had tight around the man's throat and pulled it away. What was left of him collapsed on the ground, the surface of his skin a shifting, distorted, translucent rainbow hue. 

But Lyf wasn't looking. The energy that filled them before was beginning to fade, and the pain was coming back to fill the gaps. They fell to their knees, shaking as they realized the stranger's blade was still lodged in their chest. 

They didn't have the strength to pull it out before the world around them went black.

"Okay but I'm pretty sure I deserve points for hitting that high note on Loki. Does that sound like something that fits my voice? No. MVP of the night is right here."

"Mm, I dunno. I think I did a pretty good job as Odin. That monologue? Perfect. Nailed it first try."

"I think you're all missing the real star of the show."

"Marius has a point, he did put a lot of energy into Thor."

"What? No. I meant me. You know? Expert Testimony? Come on, you have to admit I was great."

The rest of the Mechs all groan as they head back towards the Aurora. Picking a favorite bit from the night was a tradition, and one that never ended in a clear winner. Ashes was making their case when Nastya, leading the group, suddenly stopped.

It didn't take long to figure out why. Lyf was collapsed by the entrance, a dagger lodged in their chest. Whatever the shifting mass of rainbow next to them had been, it had apparently gotten one good hit on them first. Their veins glowed with rainbow light, with streaks of it now stained in their hair.

Nastya and Marius both rushed forward, Marius heading for Lyf while Nastya investigated the scratched plating nearby. They both matched the other in concern, trying to assure their respective partners that they were here now, everything was going to be okay. 

As Nastya headed inside to look for replacement parts, Brian and Ashes approached Marius.

"Need any help?"

With tears in his eyes, Marius nodded. The three of them managed to get Lyf into Ashes' arms, and the three headed inside. Marius was constantly trying to check on them, mumbling worries to himself until Ashes suddenly stopped.

"Marius I'm gonna say it once. Stop worrying about them until we get to the medbay or I'm dropping them right here and now."

Marius took a step back and nodded. Ashes nodded back, and they continued their walk.

"Do you think they're okay? How long were they out there?"

Brian shrugged. "I'm not sure it really matters. They'll heal soon anyway, right?"

Marius sighed. "I guess so. I just...I wasn't able to help last time either. I know it doesn't matter in the long run but…"

He looks up at Ashes as the doors to the medbay slide open.

"I don't like seeing them in pain."

Ashes drops Lyf on a bed, and Marius is at their side in a second. 

"Why aren't they glowing? That's what they do right? They glow and get better and there's no problems? Why aren't they getting better?!"

Ashes looks down at Lyf's unconscious form. "Maybe it's cause they still have a knife in them."

"Right. Right. Of course. Could...This is gonna sound weird but could you do it?"

Ashes glances up quizzically towards Marius, but he's just a slowly unravelling ball of nerves. They shift their gaze to Brian, who just shrugs. 

Ashes shrugs back, and they reach forward and pull out the knife. Almost instantly the wound starts to glow, albeit a bit more faintly than it did the first time. 

After a few minutes, Lyf's eyes slowly open. 

Marius throws his arms around them instantly, not sure whether to hug them or kiss them or yell at them or cry at them. In the end he just ends up holding them tight, waiting in the few moments of hesitation before they hug him back.

"Hey this knife is pretty sick. Can I keep it? Do you care?"

Lyf looks up at Ashes as they examine the cleaned blade they hold in their hand.

"...Sure?"

"Cool." They wave. "Glad you're not dead." And with that final remark, they turn and leave. 

Brian looks back and forth between the two of them, both now openly sobbing, and decides to leave as well. 


	9. Soft Spot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lyf recovers

"Lyfrassir Edda." Nastya glances up from her spot next to the outer hull of the Aurora. The vandalized section, which she had lovingly repaired, is nearby, awaiting installation. "I was wondering when you'd stop by."

Lyf stands a few feet away, their arms hugging their sides. They've put on their purple coat this morning, which is a good sign that they're feeling better, but they still look shaky. On edge. They glance towards the small town in the distance, as if waiting for another thief to pop up from the shadows. They shuffle their feet as they talk, a motion that seems to replace anything they used to do with their hands, which are still firmly held against themself.

"I would've stopped by sooner if I knew you were expecting me."

"It's no problem." Nastya stands, briefly taking a moment to tighten her ponytail. "I'm sure you needed time to yourself."

After the events that unfolded a few nights prior, Lyf had almost exclusively spent their time in their room alone. Marius was allowed in on occasion, often bringing small comfort items in an attempt to make them feel better. They rarely worked.

After Lyf had recovered somewhat from their injury, the rest of the Mechs stopped by to check on them. It was Tim who let slip what they saw. The remnants of the stranger had been almost unrecognizable as human. Only the constantly shifting colors that covered every inch of it had given them a clue as to what happened. Hearing that they had managed to transform someone into something even halfway resembling a squamous thing from the spaces between realities had shaken Lyf pretty badly, to say the least.

"I just- I don't want to hurt you. You've all done so much for me, I don't want to cause any trouble."

"You're too hard on yourself." Nastya spoke plainly, as if it was obvious. She grabbed a nearby tool and began to clean it. "Besides, you saw their reactions."

They had indeed. Raphaella wasn't present when Lyf explained what happened, or at least what they could remember of it. She was too busy running tests on the thing outside. But Jonny was there, and when Lyf briefly described their experience of coming to their senses and finding out what they'd done, he'd had a wicked gleam in his eyes. 

"What do you think that was like?"

Lyf blinked at him. "Come again?"

"Do you think it felt weird? Having yourself rearranged like that? Sounds gross. Do you think you could do it to me?"

Marius shooed everyone out shortly afterwards. 

Lyf didn't feel like talking about it more, and Nastya was never one to push the subject. So the two sat together in silence under the twin suns shining down on the small field they were parked in. Lyf had to admit they were glad it wasn't cold. The last time they stopped somewhere cold didn't turn out well either. Maybe they should just stop going to different planets. 

Then again, the one they started on hadn't fared much better.

"Aurora would like to apologize."

Lyf looked up at Nastya, watching her work for just a minute longer to see if she would elaborate. "She doesn't have to."

"No. But she would like to." Nastya keeps her head down, focusing on her repairs. Her movements slow for just a moment as she speaks. "She never wanted to put you in harm's way. If she had known how it would have turned out she may have responded...differently."

Nastya hesitates, and Lyf is suddenly left wondering how much of that statement also applies to her. They go back to leaning against the hull of the Aurora, staring up at the sky above. 

"That's alright. I forgive her."

And with an understanding nod, the two once again fall into silence.

"How long have they been like that?"

Raphaella checks her stopwatch. "22 minutes. Give or take."

Raphaella and Ivy turn again to peek in the doorway of the dining room. Lyf is seated at one of the counters, their back to the door. Their chin is resting on their hand, with the other mindlessly stirring a small bowl of soup. It was the only thing they were willing to have Marius make for them. They hadn't eaten any of it yet.

"Fascinating." Ivy strains to get a better look. "When do you think they'll notice we're here?"

"Well, we haven't exactly been hiding our voices. If they're so lost in thought they forgot to eat I highly doubt they've noticed we're here."

Lyf had, in fact, noticed they were there. They had become aware of the presence of others the second they had first approached the doorway. They just couldn't be bothered to move. At least this way it gave them something to do.

"What are you doing?"

All three of them jumped at the sound of Marius' voice. Lyf's spoon dropped from their hand, splattering soup on the counters and themself. Marius ignored the two hastily writing down notes in the entryway and hurried over to Lyf, grabbing some napkins on the way. 

"I can take care of it myself-"

Marius gently grabbed their wrist before they could take the napkins. "I want to help."

Lyf didn't say a word as the two cleaned up the spilled soup together. Marius didn't comment on how much of it was still there when he put the dishes away. He sat down on the stool next to them, reaching out his hand. After a moment's hesitation, Lyf took it.

"Aww, they're so cute together." Raphaella hugged her clipboard to her chest, smiling sweetly at them. 

Marius slightly turned. "We can hear you."

"Oh! I know. Don't worry about me."

Marius rolled his eyes, a good-natured grin on his face. "So what have you been up to lately, Lyf?"

They didn't respond. They just gripped his hand tighter, staring at the counter.

"Fair enough. Do you want me to try cheering you up or do you just want to be by yourself for a while?"

Lyf looked up, only able to meet Marius' gaze for a second before turning away again.

"I don't want to be alone."

"Cheering you up it is then! What'll it be tonight, board game? Music? Taking all the bullets out of Jonny's guns and then making fun of him?"

They shrugged. Marius frowned, it was hard seeing them like this. He was never quite sure what to do. He knew they'd been having difficulties fitting in, but after everything that happened, now they were almost afraid of taking up too much space. 

Marius glanced back towards Raphaella and Ivy. Clipboards and notes were forgotten. Ivy was holding a flute, and Raphaella had somehow already set up a keyboard. Slowly, Marius began to smile. He gave Lyf's hand one more squeeze before hopping down from his stool to join them, a violin already in his hands by the time he was in position.

"Thank you for coming tonight folks, always so great to see so many faces in the crowd! And some familiar ones too, look at that! Tonight we offer you a small sampling of our tales, a little guided tour if you will. But first, well...you know how it goes."

Lyf finally turns to face them, dread building in their chest as they watch Marius raise his bow.

The trio burst into song and all at once it's almost like they're back at that Midgardian prison. They had just come to ask for details on a case, one the trio were most definitely involved in although Lyf could find no evidence that they had ever left their cells. And somehow, in the 40 minutes it had taken Lyf to get the proper paperwork to stop by, they had written an entire concert about the crime. 

They had failed to remove the part where they admitted they did it. They still never explained how.

Instead of shouting at them to stop, Lyf actually found themself smiling fondly at the memory. After Tales To Be Told, Marius jumped right into one he had called "The Ignominious Demise of Dr. Pilchard". It wasn't one Lyf was familiar with, but the lyrics seemed to be fairly self-explanatory. Lyf made a mental note to try enforcing Octokitten pressure next time they needed Jonny to do something for them.

If there was one thing the impromptu mini-concert was able to do, it was distract them. They had gotten used to hearing some of the Mechs burst into song just because they were bored. Now that they were learning the songs themself, it was slightly less irritating. 

Halfway through a performance of Rose Red, Marius stopped. Luckily Raphaella and Ivy kept the tune going, but it was clear why he did. At the very least he waited until after the song to bring it up.

"When did the Toy Soldier get here?"

The Toy Soldier saluted. "I'm Just Happy To Be Involved!"

"You can't really do a good job with Rose Red without it, Marius." Ivy shook her head. "I would have thought you'd know that by now."

"Hey, that time wasn't my fault, Jonny was the one who threw it out the airlock before that gig. I'd never done that story before! How was I supposed to know it did half the songs?"

Standing between Ivy and Marius, now caught in a shouting match, the Toy Soldier waved, its smile growing when it caught sight of Lyf.

They waved back. They didn't think this concert was ending anytime soon.

The ship is quiet. The crew had left the planet several hours prior, and everything was still. Lyf was attempting to read in the common room, Marius nearby doing the same. But every time they tried to focus on a passage, they found their mind wandering.

There was plenty to think about. Everyone was very understanding about their conflict surrounding destroying the life of a random person on a planet they never should have been on. But Lyf wasn't thinking about any kind of legal ramifications.

They were more worried that the decision to do so was not their own.

Everything had felt off that night. From the moment they stepped off the ship something was eating at them, filling them with dread and panic. Lyf had thought it was just nerves, but the feeling had only become stronger until it was almost like Lyf wasn't there anymore. Even just recalling the memory of having control of their actions stripped from them makes Lyf shudder.

Marius manages to catch it. He silently extends a hand, Lyf almost instantly clasping it in their own. It was almost customary for them, holding hands when one or both of them were busy. Lyf appreciated the support. 

They sat in silence, all thought of finishing their book forgotten as they tried to focus on Marius instead.

The two of them both jumped at a sudden noise cutting through the silence. Hands still clasped, they checked around for the source of the noise to no avail. Lyf had no clue how to describe it, white noise mixed with unintelligible voices. Maybe the ship was having problems receiving a communication. 

The sound grew in pitch, and Lyf finally dropped Marius' hand to cover their ears, their eyes screwed shut. Whatever was causing this, they hoped Brian or Nastya got it figured out soon enough.

They felt a pair of hands on their arm and looked up. Marius took both of Lyf's hands in his own, and the static began to dissolve. It was still there, constantly at the edge of their hearing, but overall it was much more bearable.

"Do you know what that is?" Lyf almost felt the need to shout over the noise.

Marius' eyes were wide with concern. "No. But I stopped hearing it the second you moved away."

Lyf froze. "Then… why pull me back? It's awful, I… is it coming from me?"

The static once again began to rise in pitch. Marius just held on tighter. "It's probably easier to deal with if it's not just you, right?"

Lyf didn't have the focus to think of an answer for him. With the rise in volume, the voices laced with the static rose as well. And Lyf finally recognized them. 

They glanced up at Marius in horror. By the look on his face they figured he knew too.

The dying transmissions from Yggdrasil were filling their thoughts, overriding all other senses and making it impossible to focus. Weaved through the overlapping voices was a single one that rose to the top. One that Lyf unfortunately recognized. 

The void sings.

Lyf froze, a distant look on their face. They didn't notice the glow slowly starting to spread through their veins. They didn't notice how every other feeling was being blocked by the all-consuming static. But they did notice when Marius leaned forward, hugging them tight with all his strength. 

They couldn't manage to put in the effort to hug him back. They simply stared towards the other side of the room, trying not to listen to the calls in their head.

The thought crosses their mind that maybe this is what took them over that night outside the Aurora, and tears begin to fall.

Lyf never does hug Marius back by the time the voice seemed to have had enough. It slowly fades, dragging it out long enough that Lyf doesn't notice it's gone until they hear Marius' voice.

"Lyf. Hey, Lyfrassir. Are you okay?"

Lyf finally manages to focus on his face. They almost instantly dissolve into tears.

Marius pulls them close once again.

The Aurora is filled with music.

It interrupts Ivy's studying. It manages to throw off Tim's aim. It distracts Ashes enough that Jonny can slip a card up his sleeve. It prompts the Toy Soldier to hum along.

The ship is filled with music.

No one thinks to ask why.

Lyf hides away in a corner of the music room. They had dragged their cello away from the door to a slightly more secluded spot. They didn't want to bother anyone, or have them criticize their skills. All Lyf wanted was something they could use to drown out their thoughts.

They failed to notice the vent nearby that spread their song all throughout the ship.

Marius takes it as a good sign. Maybe practicing their cello will help them think through what they've been going through. The two had been holding hands much more frequently. The static has yet to return. 

Lyf practices one song several times, playing it all the way through until they can do so without a mistake, and then one more time before moving on. The methodological approach to the music manages to take up most of their thoughts. Most of them.

They let their fears and anxieties flow into the music, embracing it as a part of them. There was nothing they could do to take back what the Bifrost had done to them. 

But they wouldn't trade what they gained in return for the world. 

And as the melody weaves itself through their home, their somber songs slowly become a bit more hopeful.


	10. Lyfrassir Edda Lives On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lyf practices music, the Mechs get together, and a show is put on

"Now listen up, cause we've got a labyrinthine twisted task of a tale to tell and if you don't keep up, you might get lost."

Lyf rolls their eyes at the drama Jonny puts into his narration, choosing to focus instead on playing the right notes as his speech goes on and on. They briefly glance up to look at Marius, who gives them a big grin. They smile back, relaxing just a bit more.

It was Marius' idea that Lyf join the crew in an impromptu practice session. They had been at their cello day and night, constantly practicing and hardly ever coming out of the music room. It was starting to worry Marius a bit. Lyf brushed it off as just wanting to be useful, but he knew them better now. He could see the tension they carried with them, and he knew that tension only left when they went to go practice.

Being alone all the time couldn't have been good for them, but they always refused Marius' offers to practice with them. Said they needed time to think. Well Marius had some thoughts of his own, and one of them was that a month was plenty of time to think on your own. So around the next time Lyf decided to pick up their cello, Marius gathered the rest of the crew together.

Ulysses Dies At Dawn was Lyf's idea. The Mechs had all heard them practicing the different albums, and it hadn't escaped anyone's notice that the Ulysses story happened to be the most common one they turned to. No one had any problems with it, and Lyf had reluctantly agreed to let them stay.

A little over an hour later, Lyf let the last note drag on just long enough to give the closing number a sense of finality. Everyone immediately crowded around them, smiles on their faces.

"Lyf, that was incredible! You picked it all up so fast!" Raphaella clapped as her wings fluttered, grinning brightly. Ivy nodded her approval as well.

"Your technical skills are developing wonderfully. Not a mistake to be made on your part." An emphasized glare at Jonny received no reaction, although he did throw a begrudging thumbs-up in Lyf's direction.

Ashes and Nastya stood closer to the back. "Say, mate. Ever consider playing a gig with us?" Ashes tilted their head, awaiting their response.

Lyf, who had been politely waving away everyone's compliments, suddenly stopped dead. "Really? You really think...you actually want me there?"

Nastya shrugged. "Why not? You would just need to do exactly what you just did except in front of a crowd. I don't see why not. It would be nice to have you there for once."

"Yeah," Tim threw an arm around Brian's shoulders, pulling him close. "You can only make fun of Brian and Marius in our intro so many times, y'know? Gotta get some new material ready."

Lyf looked back and forth between the nine of them, their expectant faces staring at them in curiosity and anticipation.

Eventually, they smiled.

"I'd love to."

The crew cheered, with Brian quietly leaving to set a course for the closest populated planet. 

Lyf paced back and forth, wringing their hands. Idle chatter floated through the air as they tried to calm their breathing. Why did they agree to this? Was this really something they were doing? They peeked in the direction of the audience and immediately wished they hadn't. There were so many people here, and soon they'd all be staring at _them._

They could hear the Mechs tuning their instruments in the next room. Lyf had stepped away for just a minute to get some water, but that minute of quiet was all they needed for their anxieties to come flooding back. They continued to pace and somewhere in the back of their mind, the gentle hum of static began to play.

"Hey!" Lyf jumped as Jonny approached, his gaze furious. "What are you doing out here? Are you all tuned up? Did you actually get your stuff ready or are you just out here being nervous? I don't need you going all rainbowy on me during a set." He folded his arms, glaring at them expectantly. 

Lyf stumbled over their words, trying to think of an explanation that wouldn't come. Jonny raised an eyebrow, and Lyf took a moment to notice that their hands were shaking.

"I've never played in front of people before." They blurted out, holding the collar of their coat close. "Sure I've played with you but this is different. This is…" They glanced in the direction of the crowd, swallowing nervously. "This is so much bigger than I'm used to."

Jonny stared at them for a minute. He sighed, rubbing his forehead. 

"Alright look. You're nervous and I get it. Gigs are loud and obnoxious and sometimes people in the audience interrupt the narrative flow. Sometimes it's us too but that's besides the point."

Lyf stared at him as he continued. "Pretty much anything could go wrong and we've all had our screw-ups. Me most of all but what can you expect from such a humble and important narrator such as myself?" Jonny did a little bow, and Lyf found themself distracted from their anxiety enough to roll their eyes. 

"I fail to see how this is supposed to help me."

"I'm getting to that." Jonny held up his hands, stopping Lyf's retort. "My point is, you're gonna mess up at some point but that doesn't matter. What really matters is that you give them a hell of a show. And with you up there with us? It sure is gonna be one."

Lyf blinked. Out of all the things to come out of Jonny's mouth, genuine support and encouragement was not one of them. They opened their mouth to respond, but Jonny turned on his heel and walked away.

"Oh, but if you fuck up your set I'm gonna shoot you off the stage."

Lyf watched him walk back in with the others before chuckling. That was more the Jonny they'd come to know.

They clasped their hands together and glanced back towards the stage. If push comes to shove, maybe they could actually take Jonny up on his offer to kill them so they wouldn't have to deal with the embarrassment.

Maybe he'd just leave them alone the second he realized they _wanted_ him to kill them.

"Any crimes to report, Inspector?" Lyf looks up at Marius as he approaches, his always comforting grin on his face. "Any ruffians or hooligans out there in the stands tonight we should be on the lookout for?"

"All the ruffians here tonight are backstage." Lyf smirked, Marius pulling them into a hug.

"Oof. Ouch. You've wounded me, Lyfrassir. How will I ever recover?"

"Like you always do, I'm assuming." Lyf hugged him tighter. "I don't think there's anything that could keep you down for long."

"Hey, same to you." Marius pulls back just enough to put a hand on their cheek. "After all the shit you've gone through, here you are about to join us on stage. Isn't that just the slightest bit impressive?"

Lyf laughed softly, placing a hand against the one Marius held to their face. "Guess the Bifrost has got nothing on me."

"That's the spirit!" Marius leans forward for a quick kiss before heading back to grab his violin. As the other Mechs start to filter out towards Lyf, they feel their nerves begin to rise again. 

"And for you, my dear Inspector." Marius waves with fake flourish as they hand Lyf their cello. They take it with slightly shaking hands, something that manages to slip Marius' attention.

Lyf doesn't miss, however, when the part of the cello they're gripping becomes reflective in what little light they have backstage. They almost drop it, instead pulling back to find faint rainbow colors shifting over the surface where their hands touched the instrument. They feel panic begin to rise in their chest, and the colors begin to spread.

Wait.

Stop.

Breathe.

Lyf struggles to calm themself, trying to think of anything except the concert almost ready to go outside. They try to remember the breathing techniques that Ivy showed them the day before in preparation for the event. Slowly, they inhale and exhale, trying to get their heart rate back to a normal state.

It takes a few minutes, their eyes squeezed shut, but their thoughts and their heart finally begin to slow. When they open their eyes they find a normal-colored cello and nine other musicians staring back at them.

Nastya takes a step towards them.

"Lyfrassir? Are you ready?"

Lyf takes one last deep breath.

"As ready as I'll ever be."

And they step out onto the stage.

"Killers and renegades, liars and thieves, welcome to our show!"

Lyf refuses to look up at the audience. Their gaze is locked on their cello, their hands surprisingly steady as the familiar notes fill the air. Learning to play the very song that tormented them back on Midgard was interesting to say the least, but now they were very grateful they had taken the time to practice.

They listen intently as Jonny lists off the members of the crew, a smile tugging at their lips as he introduces Marius as their pretend doctor. 

"And joining us for the first time, Lyfrassir Edda! Ex-Inspector, current nuisance."

Lyf glanced up at the audience just long enough to see all their eyes on them. Their heart skipped a beat, and unfortunately so did their cello. Shaking their head slightly, they focused back on their instrument, trying to ignore the slight glare from Jonny. 

The show progressed, with every beat of the story ingrained into Lyf's memory. Sections of the dialogue would come to mind a few seconds before Jonny said them, and once they even caught the slight reordering of a sentence as he tried to catch a bit of information that he missed. Lyf had been studying these words for so long, but mostly by themself. Hearing everyone claim their roles was an entirely different experience, and Lyf was almost just as enamored as the audience. 

Tim played his part fantastically, his skill at singing quickly giving his section a much different feel than the rest. Lyf had never spent much time with Tim, but that night Lyf had run into him and Brian after a nightmare stuck in their memory. He had a lot more going for him than Lyf had thought, even if he didn't show it often. At the very least he was never directly rude to them, so Lyf counted it as friendship. Maybe they'd try to find something the two could do together after they got back to Aurora. 

Aurora. She was something Lyf was never expecting to find. The Mechs had always been a strange bunch, but becoming friends with a spaceship wasn't exactly something Lyf had on their to-do list for travelling with the Mechanisms. She looked out for them though, and they appreciated it. 

Lyf never would have spent much time with Aurora if it wasn't for Nastya. The two had grown incredibly close, even if they didn't speak very often. Lyf could always trust her not to ask questions if they stopped by engineering late at night. She occasionally spoke at them during their visits, explaining what she was doing and how to fix it. They didn't understand most of what she did, but they didn't need to. They appreciated the time they spent together, and they knew Nastya enjoyed it as well.

Lyf looks to their right, watching as Marius begins to sing his part. He was the thing Lyf had never dreamed of when they first came aboard what felt like ages ago. Sure they had always taken time out of their schedule to go visit him on that Midgardian prison, and sure maybe it felt nice that they were the recipient of so much attention from him. But anything past acquaintance status was never something they'd let themself consider. Even aside from that, he was always such a loud and seemingly carefree person when they spoke. Watching him now, getting incredibly deep into the character of Heracles, it's an entire other side to him that Lyf can't say they don't enjoy. 

On the opposite end of the spectrum was Ivy. She was always more reserved, and to be quite honest she wasn't much different than Lyf had seen on Midgard. Always analytical, always keeping mostly to herself, always using her percentage hypotheses to poke fun at her crewmates. But she was kind to Lyf, trying to teach them how to manage their anxieties, and even managing to calm them down by assuring them that they were not the only crewmate who wouldn't be singing. Lyf enjoyed spending time with her, even if she was very strict on when borrowed copies of her books needed to be returned.

Rounding out the trio, Lyf's thoughts turned to Raphaella. She tried to be helpful, she really did. Lyf was still a bit on edge around her considering how much she wanted to study the effects of the Bifrost, especially now that she knew her more… _outlandish_ experiments could cause no permanent damage. But she had always set that aside when Lyf really needed her to and they appreciated that. All in all, she was still a kind friend to them, and maybe that meant they'd let her run a test from time to time. 

Lyf looks to their left and spots Ashes, moving their hands across the neck of their bass guitar. They play with such a calm confidence that Lyf wishes they had. Ashes was an interesting character, but they always had Lyf's back when push came to shove. Maybe one of these days they'd finally be able to beat Ashes during their bi-weekly dice game. Lyf didn't care either way, it was just interesting getting to know them a little better. They watch as Ashes starts to sing, and they can't help but be impressed that their confidence even comes through in their voice.

Lyf had never spent much time with the Toy Soldier. It always seemed busy doing… whatever it was that it was doing. It seemed happy enough, though, and always had a good natured "tally ho!" or "good work old chap!" ready for Lyf when they needed one. They couldn't tell how much it could express, but after all the times they had saved it from being shoved out of an airlock, Lyf liked to think that they were friends.

Lyf took just a second to glance towards Brian, solemnly delivering his astounding two lines of dialogue as the story began to wind towards its close. Brian was also someone Lyf hadn't gone out of their way to speak to, always giving them highly specific advice and talking about the cold vacuum of space or the intense heat of the inside of a star. Lyf couldn't really blame him, though. And in the end, he was just as good a friend as any of the rest of the Mechs.

When thinking of their friends, Jonny was pretty understandably the last on Lyf's list. He was loud, he was rude, and he very quickly lost any restraint he had at pointing a gun at them over anything that annoyed him. On any other day, Lyf would have absolutely nothing kind to say about him. His pep talk earlier had given them second thoughts, though. He _was_ obnoxious and cruel, but he did still have feelings, no matter how hard he tried to bury them. On the one hand it made Lyf feel a little better to know Jonny didn't actually despise their presence, and that moment was one they wanted to keep special. On the other hand, they could hold this moment of sympathy over his head for weeks. They'd make the decision later.

As Jonny begins the final song, Lyf finds themself on the verge of tears. Their home, their world, everything they knew was gone forever in the blink of an eye. They themself were permanently changed, constantly haunted by the very thing that stole their past life. But looking around on the stage they now found themself at, Lyf had to admit. They found a pretty damn good future. 

_"In the earth, with my beloved, I have found my final home."_

Lyf closed their eyes, letting the sudden peace they felt wash over them. Despite everything, all their expectations and all their problems, they loved their new home. And they loved their crewmates. And they channeled that love into the music they performed. 

Quiet gasps rose up in the audience. Lyf opened their eyes to find the stage, the lights, everything in the room aside from the people standing in it, was highlighted by gentle rainbow hues. Not ones that changed what was underneath, or shone in a garish neon light. Here it was more translucent, more gentle. The soft glow of pure joy made physical. 

And as the final note played, Lyf finally let themself relax, a soft smile spreading across their face.

"Cheers! To a good show and a new bandmate!"

The table erupted in cheers to Marius' toast, their routine after-show celebratory drink quickly getting underway.

"Jolly Good! A Spectacular Spectacle All Around, Folks! Hats Off To You!" The Toy Soldier smiled, pretending to raise a glass, as no one had wanted to pay to give it something it couldn't even drink. Lyf smiled, and raised their small glass in return.

"Really feels like you're a part of the crew now." Ashes throws a smirk in Lyf's direction before taking a sip. "I mean. You were here long enough it did anyway. But now it's official."

"Not yet." Nastya set down her glass and reached into her pocket, pulling out a small object Lyf couldn't see. She held out her hand towards Lyf, and they accepted the gift with gentle awe.

It was a small pin with the logo they often saw on things the other Mechs owned. The Aurora set in front of a small gear. Lyf hadn't understood what it was supposed to represent when they had first saw it. Now they held the pin close to their heart, looking around the table with tears in their eyes.

"Well now, don't go crying on us." Tim rolled his eyes, taking a swig from his glass. "Couldn't even get you a patch. Didn't have the time to whip one up."

Nastya glared at him before turning back to Lyf. "In any case. It's yours now. You've earned it for putting up with us for so long. We really are glad to have you here."

Lyf grinned at that, and without further hesitation they quickly fastened the pin to the front of their coat. 

"I really don't know what to say."

"How about thanks?" Marius nudged their arm, grinning. "Seems pretty appropriate. You know what this means right?"

Lyf blinked. "It means I have a pin…?"

"It means you're a Mechanism!" Raphaella smiled. "We have a logo for a reason. You're one of us now."

"Whether you want to or not." Ivy shrugged, not bothering to hide her own happiness at the night's events.

"May you find the patience you will undoubtedly need for the rest of our shared lives." Brian raised his glass, and the others around the table quickly did the same. Lyf joined in, keeping a hand on the pin resting above their heart.

"I wouldn't ask for anything less."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all SO much for supporting me through this wild ride of a story! This is definitely the longest piece I've done and I couldn't have done it without all of your encouragement! I definitely have more Mechs fics in mind so feel free to look out for those! I'm also on Tumblr as HershelChocolateArt if you want to see some of my more visual Mechs works, and I'm always accepting prompts if you'd like to see me do something!
> 
> Again, thank you all so so much and I'll see you next time!


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